If I Break
by Areli White-wings
Summary: Pre-Abyss. Gil's world comes crashing down around his feet when Oz is kidnapped, but when he and Oscar rescue an abused Chain named B-Rabbit, Gilbert wonders if maybe there's a way to pick up the pieces. He soon discovers that there's more to the chains—and to Oz—than he ever would've imagined. AU.
1. Prologue

**Hey everyone, Areli White-Wings here, I've been helping my friend, who doesn't have a account here, as an editor on this _amazing_ story. She's also the one who pulled me into Pandora Hearts, so a few more stories and chapters can be expected soon.;)**

* * *

Gil watched Oz as they walked, unable to keep the small smile from his lips at the carefree steps of his master. The young Vessalius flitted from stand to stand, his emerald eyes shining as he gazed upon the various trinkets the market had to offer.

The two boys had been given Uncle Oscar's permission to wander the stalls while he finished up some business in town. The kind man had invited Oz, Gil, and Ada to come along with him to one of the Vessalius' summer mansions while he attended to a few affairs in the nearby towns. The three children had jumped at the offer to go somewhere other than the main house, and Oscar had asked Oz and Gil if they wanted to come to town with him while Mrs. Kate took Ada shopping.

It was a beautiful afternoon, not too hot, not too cold, and just the right amount of clouds dotting the sky. Their dappled shadows floated gently over the marketplace, enveloping everyone in warm summer nostalgia.

Lunchtime had long since passed, but Oz had seemed content to continue their wandering rather than stop for a bite to eat. By now, Gilbert was starting to feel a bit hungry and hoped his master was feeling the same.

"Young Master, you must be getting hungry. Maybe we should stop for a bit…." Oz looked over at him and Gilbert bit his lip. "Um, is there anywhere you'd like to eat?"

The blond teen straightened up, glancing at the sky. "Yeah, I think you're right." He glanced at Gil, sending him a sympathetic smile when he noticed the raven's apparent exhaustion. "Why don't you stay here while I run ahead a sec and find somewhere to sit?" Gil nodded, despite his reluctance to leave the Oz alone, and the young noble vanished into the crowd.

Knowing he had to work quickly, Gilbert spun on his heel and ducked through the throng, glancing quickly at each stall until he found the one he was looking for. The small shop sold an assortment of beautiful jewelry, and one of the necklaces had seemed to catch Oz's eye. It was a small silver locket, the embellished stone a murky greenish-blue.

He'd been sure Oz was going to buy it, but the blond had caught Gil watching him and had merely moved on to the next stall.

The merchant grinned at Gilbert as the boy approached, taking the locket from its hook and holding it out to him. Gil blinked in surprise.

"I remembered you from earlier. Figured you were getting it for your friend." The man winked.

Gil flushed, taking the locket in exchange for his money. "Th-Thank you so much, Sir!" He bowed gratefully before slipping the necklace into his pocket and dashing back to where Oz had left him, relieved to find that the blond had not yet returned.

He couldn't keep the smile from his lips as he waited. He really hoped Oz would be happy. The boy had seemed a little down lately, as the family had begun to plan his ever-nearing Coming-of-Age Ceremony. The young blond dreaded the thought of having to take part in the responsibilities of a noble, and to make matters worse, they'd gotten a letter from his father stating that he'd be on a business trip and wouldn't be able to make the ceremony. To say Oz was disappointed was an understatement.

"Gil!" The raven turned at the call, smiling as Oz approached.

"Did you find somewhere that looked appealing, Young Master?"

Oz grabbed his hand and tugged him forward through the crowd, the motion eliciting a startled gasp from his servant. They weaved through the streets, finally bursting out into the small square. Oz leads him to a small cafe, sitting him down while he went inside and grabbed them some water and a few cookies. They munched in silence for a while, each just enjoying the company of the other in the warm summer air. Finally, Gilbert could wait no longer. He slipped a hand into his pocket, letting his fingers brush the cool chain of the locket.

"Um, Y-Young Master...I...have something for you…" The words came out a jumbled mess, and Gil flushed in embarrassment. This was _not_ how he'd hoped this would go. Oz stared at him curiously. Mustering up all his courage, Gilbert pulled out the locket and shoved it across the table, immediately forcing his eyes to the ground. But he couldn't help sneaking a peek at Oz out of the corner of his eye.

The blond was staring at the locket with wide eyes. He reached out a hand to touch it. "Gil….you…" His voice wavered, and Gil's head shot up in surprise. A twist of anxiety flared in his stomach. Did Oz not like it? Oz's hand raised to his mouth, and Gil was startled to find the boy blinking back tears. Gilbert gasped.

"Young Mast—"

"Gil," Oz interrupted, taking the locket in his hands. "Uncle Oscar gave you that money to buy something for _yourself,_ why would you spend it on me?"

Gilbert blinked at him. "I saw the way you looked at it…." He fidgeted with his hands nervously. "I figured you didn't buy it because you thought I might look down on you for buying something like a locket…." Oz gaped at him.

"But Gil, this must've used up all your money…."

The raven looked away. "There wasn't really anything that caught my eye any—" He broke off with a yelp as suddenly Oz's arms caught him from behind.

"Thank you, Gil. I mean it."

Gilbert blushed furiously. "Y-You're welcome, Young Master,"

The two laughed and chatted until Oz decided he wanted more cookies. He offered Gil a few when he returned with the plate, but the raven insisted he wasn't hungry. He was beginning to wonder what was taking Lord Oscar so long. Gilbert sighed. The man had probably gotten distracted along the way by some beautiful woman. He hadn't realized he was staring until a sudden movement in his line of vision caught his eye. A white-haired girl across the street was giving him a strange look, having noticed his blank gaze.

Gilbert flushed and quickly looked away, hoping Oz hadn't caught the exchange. He was mortified to find his master giggling relentlessly at his embarrassment.

"Look, Gil, here she comes," Oz snickered. The raven-haired boy whirled in horror. Sure enough–the girl had almost made it to their table. Gilbert buried his face in his hands.

"Ah, can I help you with something?" When her only answer was another fit of giggles from Oz, the girl crossed his arms. "Look, I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I just think it's a little impolite to stare at people." She smirked, catching sight of Gil's red face. "Like, I know I'm good-looking, but _honestly-"_

Oz could no longer contain his laughter, his loud guffaws eliciting the curious eyes of most passerby. Gil wished the ground would swallow him up. He lifted his face from his hands just in time to see Oz's chair begin to tip back a little too far.

Gil jolted forward, knowing he was too far away, too slow, and that his incompetence was going to leave a nasty bruise on his master's back. He closed his eyes and flinched in anticipation of the sound, but upon opening them he was surprised to find that the mysterious girl had caught Oz, and was now holding the young noble off the ground. Oz looked just as surprised as Gilbert felt, his green eyes wide as they stared at the face only inches from his own.

"N-Nice catch."

Gil waited, but she didn't seem to be about to move anytime soon. He cleared his throat. The girl jumped. She carefully helped Oz into a standing position. The young noble reached down to pick up his chair, and Gil caught the other's eyes following Oz as he moved. Gil frowned.

"You're a Vessalius, aren't you?" The girl blurted suddenly. Oz looked up at her in surprise.

"How'd you know?"

The girl fidgeted with her shirt. "Your eyes." She blinked suddenly. "I'm Zwei, I probably should've introduced myself earlier." She offered them her most charming smile. Gil wasn't impressed. "I'm not from around here," the girl continued, "my family moved just recently, and we've been having a little trouble finding work." She looked away sheepishly.

Gilbert glared down at his glass of water. "If you're so new here, how'd you recognize my Master?" he muttered. Zwei laughed, and Gil started, not expecting to have been heard.

The girl leaned toward Oz with a grin. "I'd recognize those Vessalius eyes anywhere." Oz smiled, but his eyes caught the way her clothes hung from her too-thin frame. A sudden idea occurred to him.

"Why don't you come and have dinner with us? One of our summer mansions is near here, and you could probably stay the night if you wanted to."

Gil's eyes widened. "Young Mas-"

Zwei gave the noble a warm smile. "There's no way I could refuse such a kind offer, thank you." She bowed deeply in gratitude.

Gilbert frowned anxiously at Oz. "Young Master, you can't just invite strangers to come over for dinner…"

Oz patted Gil's arm reassuringly. "It's okay Gil, Uncle Oscar won't care."

"Uncle Oscar won't care about what?" came a deep voice from behind them.

"Uncleeee, this nice girl saved me from falling out of my chair, can we have her over for dinner, pleassseeee?"

Oscar paused for a moment in thought. "Well...I suppose Ada might like the company as well..." He read the hope in Oz's expression and sighed. "Alright, I suppose it's fine with me," Turning, he flashed Zwei a smile. "We _do_ have to show our thanks for such a helpful Lady, after all."

* * *

Oz plopped down onto his bed with a laugh, patting the space next to him for Zwei to come and sit. "Dinner won't be ready for a while yet, so I figured we could hang out in here 'till Mrs. Kate calls us." Zwei nodded, but Gilbert hovered anxiously.

"Young Master, I really don't think you should take a stranger into your room like this. Last time-"

Suddenly Oz's eyes were fire. "This isn't _like_ last time, Gilbert." he snapped. Gil flinched back, stung by the sharp tone. He bit his lip. He couldn't back down so easily, not when it concerned his master. The small boy straightened up.

"I'm just trying to keep you _safe!"_

"Stay out of it! You'll probably be just as useless at that as everything else!"

Gil stared at the blond, stunned. Even Zwei looked surprised. Gilbert could feel the tears beginning to form behind his eyes and blinked furiously. He spun on his heel, whirling toward the door.

"If I'm so useless to you, then maybe I should just leave!"

The door slammed shut behind him.

* * *

Gilbert flew through the hall, the tears gaining courage and beginning to slide down his cheeks. He wiped at them furiously, but couldn't make them stop. They ran, blurring his vision until he couldn't see, and the raven nearly stumbled over the edge of a staircase in his blindness. Finally, he managed to reach the second kitchen, sinking down behind the counters while he cried.

Did Oz really think he was useless? Did the boy only keep him around out of pity? He'd always feared that reality, but for it to have been true all along...Gil sat still for a moment, pondering. If Oz didn't want him, then there was nothing left for him. Oz was everything, his brother, his best friend, his master, without Oz, Gilbert wouldn't have a purpose. He stood resolutely, ignoring the trembling in his legs as he prepared tea. If Oz thought he was useless, then he would make himself useful.

* * *

Gil paused in front of the door. Standing before it now, knowing his master was on the other side made him nervous. Still, he mustered his courage and reached out a hand to knock lightly.

"Young Master?"

There was no reply. Gil sighed. He really wasn't wanted then. Oh well, he'd made them tea, at least he could give them that before heading out to find a way to be useful to Oz. Gilbert leaned the tea tray on one arm and turned the knob, relieved to find it unlocked. He wanted the tea to be warm when he gave it to them.

"Young Master, I–"

The tray slipped from his hands, the dishes shattering loudly against the carpet. The room was empty, untouched save for a small folded note on the floor. Gil's knees buckled. There, beside it, was the locket he had given Oz, the chain snapped in half.

Fingers trembling, Gil reached to pick up the note. The handwriting was unfamiliar, chicken scratch compared to Oz's elegant scrawl, but the words that weaved across the page were enough to stop his heart.

Gilbert screamed. Suddenly he couldn't breathe, and then he was on all fours, body shuddering as he retched up their lunch of chocolate chip cookies.

If you ever wish to see Oz Vessalius again,

Zai Vessalius must bring $500 to the old Reveil warehouse by midnight tonight.

 _Tick tock._


	2. Chapter One

**As promised, chapter one of one of my best friend's best creations!**

* * *

"Gil!" Oscar burst into the room, his eyes wide. "I heard you scream, what-" He broke off, freezing at the sight of Gilbert's crumpled form on the floor.

"Gilbert!" He reached out to touch the boy's shoulder, but Gilbert flinched away from him. The boy's body trembled, shuddering as he sobbed. Oscar scowled and reached out again, quieting the boy's cries as he pulled him into his arms. "Hey," he said, gently this time, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Gil pressed his hands to his mouth, shaking his head against Oscar's shoulder. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Sobs tore from his throat, loud and violent against the quiet of the night. "It's all my fault!" He shook his head again, descending into a litany of miserable apologies.

Oscar sighed, reaching out a gentle hand to catch Gil's chin. "Hey," The boy refused to meet his eyes. "Hey," he said again, more firmly this time, "Gil, whatever it is you've done, I promise we can fix it, okay? So please, I need you to tell me what happened." Gilbert looked at him then, and Oscar felt a sickening trepidation sink to the pit of his stomach. He had never seen such devastation on someone's features. Gil pressed a small piece of paper into his hands, whispering the words like they would choke him.

" _He's gone."_

Oscar read the note with wide eyes, cursing and standing. "Gilbert, stay here. I've got to speak with Zai—" The man blinked, looking down in surprise at the small hand that gripped the edge of his coat.

"Please, I-I want to help…"

The man's eyes softened. "Alright, come on Gil." He helped the trembling boy to stand. "We'll find Oz, I promise." Gil's hand tightened in his.

* * *

"I need to speak with my brother!"

Oscar swept through the doors, his fierce gaze and commanding presence startling the drowsy servants that had been sifting through their master's paperwork. One leapt up, sliding through a door to the left and into the next room. Oscar tapped his foot impatiently. Gilbert bit his lip, eyes darting around in confusion. How would they be able to talk to Oz's father? He'd heard that the man was away on business.

Seeming to sense Gil's thoughts, Oscar murmured, "He came to visit Ada, but said he couldn't stay long enough to see Oz. I took you out because I didn't want Oz to know."

The door opened just as Gil was about to answer, and the boy looked up just in time to see Zai Vessalius enter. His fists clenched.

The scarred man frowned at them, folding his arms. "What's this all about, Oscar?" He had barely gotten the words out before Oscar stalked forward and thrust the paper into his hands. The man read it silently for a moment before folding it and tossing it into the trash bin beside his desk.

"No."

Oscar's eyes widened. "W-What?"

"No. I won't pay for Its mistakes."

Oscar took a step back. "But….Zai, he's your son!"

The man's eyes flashed. "Don't speak of _that thing_ in such a way!" he snarled, whirling out of the room in fury.

Oscar watched him go in horror. Gil felt dizzy. He swallowed. "But...What about Oz?"

Oscar's arms were around him then, trembling as the man pulled him close. "We'll get him back, I promise."

* * *

It had been nearly three months since Oz's disappearance, and Gilbert found himself missing his Young Master more and more with each passing day. He and Oscar went out to search each afternoon, visiting cities, towns, even a few small villages. They traveled as far as Oscar's work would allow, but time passed, and there was still no sign of the Vessalius heir.

Lord Oscar sighed, passing a weary hand through his hair and watching people dash through the streets to avoid the rain. He and Gilbert were dry beneath the awning of a small cafe, where they observed passerby and snacked on the sandwiches Oscar had purchased. He bit his lip, not failing to notice the way Gilbert's eyes lit up at every blond that strolled past.

"Hey, um, Gil—" Oscar broke off at a sudden splash from down the street.

A carriage had stopped near the town square, a dark haired boy stumbling and falling back into the mud as he was shoved from the steps. The carriage pulled away into the rain, leaving the poor servant to stare after it miserably.

Feeling the waves of pity emanating from the boy beside him, Oscar stood. "C'mon Gil, why don't we see if he needs any help." The radiant smile he received in return was worth the cold trickle of raindrops sliding down his back.

The two made their way quickly to the middle of the square, where they found the boy soaked to the skin and shivering madly as he attempted to push himself up out of the mud. Oscar offered a hand, a gentle smile stretching over his lips. The boy looked up in surprise, wide eyes a startling shade of crimson. He stared up into Oscar's kind face like the sentiment was something he had never experienced before, and for a moment he seemed about to accept the help.

Gilbert gave an involuntary little shiver, and the boy's gaze flickered to him before he dropped his head to stare at the soaked cobblestone.

"Ah, L-Lord Vessalius, while I am incredibly grateful for your kind offer, there's no way I could ask you to taint yourself by wasting your time on a worthless creature such as myself." He didn't raise his head.

Gil's eyes widened. He and Oscar exchanged an anxious glance before Gilbert knelt down beside the boy in the mud. "Hey, it's alright," the boy flinched and Gil tried to soften his voice even further, "Lord Oscar wants to help, he's very kind and takes good care of servants, so you don't have to be afraid." He paused, chewing his bottom lip as he tried to think of the best way to phrase his words. "Besides, I can tell by the way you're favoring one leg that the other might've gotten sprained on the way down." The boy's breath hitched, and Gil held out a hand, giving what he hoped was his best encouraging smile.

The boy still hesitated, but finally, he stretched out a pale hand and allowed Gilbert to lift him to his feet. His left leg buckled almost instantly, and Gil quickly wrapped an arm around his shoulders and allowed the boy to lean on him. He was worryingly thin, as though a single breath might push him over. Gil frowned.

"Why don't you come sit with us and have a little something to eat, maybe rest that leg for a few minutes?" Oscar suggested, seeming to read Gil's mind. The boy looked like he was about to protest, so Gil quickly dragged him toward their table, lifting slightly to take pressure off the injured ankle.

"So..." Oscar began pulling up a chair before taking his own seat. Gil shot him a grateful smile. "What's your name? You seem to already know who I am, and this is my servant, Gilbert." He gave a slight chuckle.

The boy tensed again, still refusing to look at either of them. He gave a small nod of gratitude at the cup of tea Gil pushed toward him. "...my name...is B-Rabbit." he murmured, at last, the words sounding almost bitter, like they tasted foul in his mouth. Oscar breathed in sharply.

"Isn't there a chain named B-Rabbit?"

The boy nodded, fingers tightening around his cup. "I am..." he swallowed. "I am a chain." He stared into the tea like he wished it would swallow him whole.

Gil's eyes flashed to Oscar in shock, surprised to find his own expression mirrored there. "Then why do you allow your Master to treat you like that?" He blurted incredulously, immediately snapping his mouth closed and flushing in embarrassment. B-Rabbit's expression flickered with something unreadable at the outburst. He shifted in his chair.

"My Master and I have a contract," he said quietly. "He...held something very precious to me over my head so I would make it, and it...prevents me...from harming him."

Oscar was still staring at the chain, a deep frown beginning to settle over his features. "But so, you have the ability to take on a human form? And how did he ever come across such a powerful chain like yourself anyway?" He stuffed a cookie into his mouth absently. "You're B-Rabbit the destroyer, the one who caused the Tragedy of Sabrie, what could be important enough to something like you that you would make a contract with someone who abuses you so?"

B-Rabbit flinched as though he'd been struck, lowering his head so he was hunched over the table and staring down miserably into his tea. "I-I suppose you could say that, yes, I have a human form," he mumbled, tensing further. "And...I was sold...to my Master...against my will. A-And it—" his breathing quickened, "—it wouldn't be the first time I let my feelings get in the way of self-preservation..." He stood suddenly, a quivering hand flashing out to steady himself on the edge of the table as he swayed. Gilbert automatically rose too, arms outstretched in anticipation of the fall.

"I-I'm sorry, I really should be going." He gave a hasty bow. "You have no idea how much your help has meant to me, I truly appreciate it..." He turned quickly, wobbling slightly, and limped out into the rain and down the street before either of them could stop him.

* * *

Gilbert sighed, adjusting the collar of his suit in the mirror.

The Rainsworth's were having a ball to celebrate the onset of autumn, and nearly all of the prominent noble families had been invited. Oscar had asked him to attend, insisting that if he wouldn't come as his companion like he wished then he might at least come as his valet. The word had awoken the pangs of loss that were still sleeping within his heart, but he understood what it would mean to the Duke and so he had agreed.

It was normally Oz that attended such events with Oscar.

There was a gentle knock at his door. "Ready?"

"Yes, Lord Oscar," Gil called, frowning once more at his reflection and wishing he could wipe that empty, haunted look from his eyes.

* * *

It was hot. The mix of warm bodies and dancing and stuffy formal wear was creating an unpleasant, stifling heat that radiated through the ballroom.

Gilbert hesitated anxiously at the entrance. Oscar stopped to smile back at him encouragingly. It was Gil's first time attending such an event, after all, and the Noble understood his reservations about whether or not he belonged here.

Gil found himself to be pleasantly surprised. He would never really be a people person, but it was somewhat interesting to watch all the Lords and Ladies as they danced, and he soon realized that the dancing actually looked rather fun. A wistful smile slipped over his face. He wondered how graceful Oz had looked while he was dancing...

The smile slipped.

Slowly, not all at once, but one side began to drop and the other was quick to follow. He suddenly found himself blinking back tears, lips quivering as he struggled not to show the sorrow that had suddenly consumed him.

He was suddenly glad Oscar had left him for the first time that evening, unable to resist all the pretty women that strolled by. He was currently out dancing, seeming to be enjoying himself.

Gil sucked in a deep breath.

He tried not to think about Oz. He tried not to think about his soft hair and bright eyes and how he smiled so radiantly when he was happy and how selfless he was even though he enjoyed to tease Gilbert and how the teasing was never really mean; Oz was always so careful not to truly upset anyone...

The tears blurred his vision, sliding slowly out onto his cheeks despite his resistance. He didn't see the dark haired boy watching him from across the room, and he didn't notice when Oscar saw his tears and hurried over after a quick apology to his partner (to her credit, she followed him).

"Gil? Hey, it's okay," Oscar squeezed his shoulder gently. "What's wrong?"

Gil shook his head, completely crumbling at the comforting touch. He pressed his hands to his eyes, wiping furiously at the tears, but his embarrassment at the scene he just _knew_ he was making wasn't helping at all.

"I-I'm so so-rry Lord Oscar," he gasped, pressing his palms to his eyes again and stifling a sob. "I just started thinking about O-Oz and—" Gil broke off with a gasping cry as Oscar pulled him into his arms.

The man's embrace was tight, and Gil could feel the Duke's arms trembling around him. He buried his face in the broad chest as Oscar ran a gentle hand over his back. "I know," he breathed, "I know, Gil. I know. I know how much it hurts."

Gil nodded shakily, sucking in a deep breath and pulling away. He ducked his head. "I-I'll go get you two something to drink..." He turned to leave, but Oscar caught his arm.

"It's okay to cry sometimes, Gil."

The servant nodded tearfully, sending Oscar a shaky smile that he desperately hoped conveyed his gratitude. The man smiled back and let him go.

Gil slipped carefully through the crowd, keeping his head low to hide his flushed cheeks. He quickly poured two glasses of wine, picking them up delicately. As he raised his head, his eyes met the startled red ones on the other side of the table. Gil nearly dropped the cups.

"O-Oh!" It came out as more of a squeak, and he felt his face heat up again.

B-Rabbit looked similarly surprised, but as he took in Gilbert's tear-stained cheeks, the expression melted into one of concern.

"Um..." his voice was soft. "Are you alright, Lord Gilbert?"

Gil laughed shakily, trying to push the memories down as they attempted to resurface once more. "I was just thinking of someone very special to me."

B-Rabbit's eyes clouded with that unreadable emotion again. "Oh..." he glanced over his shoulder anxiously and picked up the glass he had been pouring. "If you, um, don't mind me asking...what...happened to your special person?" He tilted his head slightly, brows furrowed in concern.

Gil stared down into one if the wine glasses, watching the liquid quiver like viscous blood. He swallowed thickly. "He...I….he was...kidnapped..." He finally managed. Gil found himself blinking frantically again. "And it was... _all_ my _fault_ —"

"No." B-Rabbit's voice was sharp. "I'm sure whatever happened, it was just as much his fault as yours. A-And now you're suffering the consequences too..." he chewed his lip, looking over his shoulder again. Gilbert followed his gaze, but was distracted by something he saw out of the corner of his eye.

"Who's that talking to Lord Oscar?"

B-Rabbit's head whipped around, his face turning ashen. "Oh no," He picked up the wine glass quickly and hurried away.

Still a bit surprised, Gil picked up his own glasses, arriving beside Oscar a moment after the chain. He handed the second glass to the young woman the Duke had been dancing with and she gave him a kind smile before vanishing back into the crowd.

"So, who's this?"

Gil turned at the unfamiliar voice, bowing to the tall man who stood before them. B-Rabbit stood stiffly at his side, his face still deathly white.

Oscar smiled tightly, giving Gilbert a warm pat on the back. "This is Gilbert, he's acting as my valet."

The man snorted. "I see." He held out a hand to B-Rabbit, and the chain anxiously gave him the wine.

"I'm sorry, Master, they didn't have any more of your favorite, but I know you're quite fond of this kind as well so—"

"So, Duke Vessalius, what were you saying about meeting my chain once before?" The man cut over him as though he weren't talking. B-Rabbit snapped his mouth shut.

"O-Oh," Oscar blinked. "Well, uh, we only had a chance for a short introduction, but B-Rabbit seems like a wonderful servant to have..."

The man raised an eyebrow. "He's useless. Not even worth the money I spent on him." He paused to take a sip of his wine, immediately spitting it back into his glass, eyes flashing furiously. "What the hell is this?" he spat, whirling on B-Rabbit.

The skinny chain flinched violently. "Master, t-they didn't have—"

" _Shut up!_ " The man snarled, whipping the glass down against B-Rabbit's temple. The glass shattered instantly, dousing the chain in wine.

Gilbert gasped, feeling Oscar stiffen beside him. B-Rabbit had gone rigid, breath sharp and shallow as he stared through Gilbert with glazed eyes. Gil stared in horror at the trail of blood that trickled slowly down his forehead and into his eyes. A drop curled under his chin, dripping onto the marble floor.

"Get me another glass!" The man snapped.

B-Rabbit gave a small bow, turning and hurrying toward the food table. Neither Gil nor Oscar missed the way he staggered for a moment, nearly falling against a stocky noblewoman.

Oscar caught Gil's eyes and nodded, handing the Raven his own glass and saying loudly, "Why don't you get me some more wine, Gilbert?"

At the food table, Gil found B-Rabbit trying desperately to hold the glass still so he could pour, but his hands were shaking so badly the poor chain just couldn't get it to work.

"Here," said Gil immediately, placing a firm hand around B-Rabbit's and gently steadying the chain's other wrist as he poured.

B-Rabbit looked up at him gratefully, blinking the blood from his eyes. They were unfocused, Gil noted worriedly.

"H-Here, why don't we go back together?" Gil suggested, reaching out to steady the chain at his nod.

Oscar took the wine from Gil in a white-knuckled grip. The raven swallowed. The Duke seemed furious, and Gilbert agreed with him wholeheartedly, but he hoped Oscar would handle the situation wisely.

The tall man took a tiny sip of the new wine. "It's barely better, you stupid chain," he growled, taking another sip anyway.

"Hey, Gilbert, could you please take B-Rabbit to one of the sitting rooms to get him cleaned up?" Oscar kept his eyes on the tall noble as he spoke, but the man didn't seem to care.

Gil nodded quickly and pulled the chain after him out of the room. He was relieved to find a small bathroom at the back of one of the open sitting rooms, and he gently guided B-Rabbit to sit down on the edge of the bathtub.

"Th'nks," The boy mumbled, gripping the rim tightly to keep his balance.

Gil rummaged through the small cupboards, finally finding a roll of bandages and a worn cloth.

He filled a little bucket with water, dipping the cloth in and running it gently over B-Rabbit's chin, moving along his face until he reached the chain's forehead. Once most of the blood was cleared away, Gilbert set to the task of picking out the little pieces of glass that had embedded themselves in the wound.

It was slow work, and B-Rabbit's eyes would slip closed every so often, before he would suddenly jerk awake again. He sat stiffly. Gilbert washed over the surface one more time before wrapping it gently with one of the bandages.

Almost immediately, the chain lurched from the rim of the tub and retched into the small bucket Gil had been using.

The raven found himself rubbing the other servant's back, watching the tears that finally broke free sliding silently down his cheeks as he coughed up bile and, Gil realized with a bit of horror, blood.

"Have you had anything to eat today?" he wondered, tracing gentle circles into the material of the other's suit.

B-Rabbit shook his head, vomiting again and trying to stifle the little sobs of pain that were beginning to escape him. Gilbert stroked a hand through the chain's hair, wiping his face with the cloth and marveling and how human he actually seemed.

To his surprise, the trembling chain curled up to Gil's chest, clutching his shirt with shaking fingers and burying his face in his stomach.

"Wasn't your f'lt," he mumbled, pushing his face closer to Gilbert. "Wh't hap'nd t'your Master..."

Gil stared down at him in shock. "I'll regret," he murmured, carding a gentle hand through the tangled raven hair, "that the last words I said to him were such horrible, mean words, for the rest of my life." B-Rabbit shook his head.

* * *

Gilbert turned to Oscar as soon as the carriage door closed. The blond looked stormy, a dark, serious look that Gilbert had never seen before crossing his features.

"Is there anything we can do?" asked Gil quietly, wringing his hands in his lap. "I'm fairly certain he has a concussion..." he chewed his lip worriedly.

Oscar's hands balled into tight fists. "I asked if we could visit his manor tomorrow morning." His jaw was set firmly. "We're going to buy that poor chain."

Gilbert stared at him in shock. "But...Lord Oscar...t-that's illegal!"

"There's no other way," said the Duke stiffly. "We need to get him out of there as soon as possible."

"B-But they have a contract!"

"...He would only need to break the Blood Mirror to nullify the contract," Oscar's voice was quiet.

Gilbert stared at the man, startled by the sudden firm resolve.

Oscar sent him a sideways glance. "Doesn't he...doesn't B-Rabbit remind you a little of Oz?"

Gilbert stiffened, knowing what they were going to do.

* * *

"Baron Henry," said Oscar with a tight smile, reaching out to shake the other man's hand. Gilbert took his place across from B-Rabbit as the two nobles took their seats.

"Get us some tea," the Baron snapped, waving his hand absently at the chain. B-Rabbit nodded quickly, turning to stagger from the room, steadying himself now and then against the wall. Gilbert frowned.

B-Rabbit returned sooner than Gil had expected, at least-maybe the concussion wasn't too bad then-and he sent the chain a warm smile as he was handed his glass. The tea was excellent.

"So, Duke Vessalius, what inspired you to visit me today?" Henry took a casual sip of tea.

"I want to buy your chain."

The Baron choked. "E-Excuse me?"

Oscar took a small sip from his own glass. He set it delicately back onto the plate and sent the Baron a little smile. "Yes, you heard me."

Struggling to regain his composure, Henry managed, "B-But why? He's so pathetic!"

Gil glanced anxiously at B-Rabbit, surprised to find the chain standing standing stiffly, his face pale.

"A-And besides, we have a contract!" The man looked smug.

Oscar crossed his arms. "Break the Blood Mirror."

The Baron's face turned as white as his chain's.

"I'm willing to offer you four hundred," Oscar continued.

"Why would you pay so much for this worthless creature?" Henry's eyes narrowed, a dark laugh bubbling from his lips. "Do you think he'll replace the nephew you lost?"

Oscar's jaw tightened. B-Rabbit's sharp eyes locked onto him.

"Do you want my money, or not?"

The Baron glanced at the chain, fingering the small mirror around his neck. He pursed his lips. "...very well. But I don't think you know what you're getting yourself into, Duke Vessalius." He smiled strangely, pulling the Blood Mirror from his neck and smashing it against the ground.

Immediately, B-Rabbit let out a sharp gasp, sinking to his knees. His hands gripped at his chest, fingers fisting in the thin material of his shirt.

Gilbert rushed to his side as soon as the money was exchanged, pulling the small chain to his side and helping him to stand. It felt so wrong that a living creature could change hands with the drop of a few coins.

He swallowed hard, giving B-Rabbit's side a gentle squeeze.

"Enjoy your new life, Worthless Chain," the Baron called after them as they stumbled to the carriage

* * *

The ride back to the Vessalius Manor was quiet. Unsettlingly quiet. Gil swallowed.

"Um, how's your head feeling today?" he wondered. B-Rabbit didn't raise his gaze from his hands, which were clenched tightly in his lap.

"Why would you pay so much for a chain like me?"

Oscar blinked. "Because that doesn't matter," B-Rabbit's fists tightened. "You're still alive, aren't you? And you've done nothing so far that would make me believe you intend to cause either of us harm, so why wouldn't I take you away from a situation where you were mistreated?"

B-Rabbit's shoulders rose as he hunched over in his seat. "Thank you," he whispered, "your kindness will be repaid to the best of my ability."

He sent a small glance in Gilbert's direction.

"My head doesn't feel as bad, but I've been a little dizzy all morning. I...really appreciate your concern, Lord Gilbert." A shy smile pulled at his lips and Gilbert was startled by the warm feeling that grew in his chest at the sight.

* * *

The sun was high in the afternoon sky by the time they reached the manor, and Gilbert was more than happy to be able to stretch his legs. He held out a hand to steady B-Rabbit, and the skinny chain sent him another small smile.

"Uncle! Gil! You're back!"

Oscar staggered as a small blonde form leapt into his arms. "Ada! How've you been?"

The girl pulled back, gripping Oscar's arms. Her eyes were bright. "Did you find Big Brother?"

Oscar's smile faltered. "Ada..."

She stepped away instantly, lowering her gaze. "Oh."

Oscar pulled her into a swift hug. "We'll find him Ada, I promise."

She gave a teary nod, raising her head to send Gil a small wave. Her eyes widened suddenly, locked on something behind him.

Gil blinked, turning his head to find B-Rabbit hunched behind his back.

"Hey, it's alright," Gil murmured, taking the chain's wrist gently and stepping aside to reveal him fully to Ada. "Mistress Ada, this is B-Rabbit. He's going to be living with us from now on." He gave B-Rabbit a gentle smile. "This is Mistress Ada, my Master's younger sister."

B-Rabbit bowed shyly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mistress."

Ada took a tentative step forward, untangling herself from Oscar's arms. "You have red eyes," she said quietly, coming to stop directly in front of the chain. "Big Brother read me a story once about how they used to call red eyed people 'Children of Misfortune.'"

B-Rabbit looked away. "Yes...I believe that these red eyes can only ever bring disaster to those who are close to me."

Gilbert frowned, glancing back just in time to catch Oscar's anxious expression.

"So B-Rabbit, do you think you're feeling up to a tour of the house?" Oscar moved to stand beside Gil.

The chain nodded. "I'm fully able to complete any tasks you may need me to complete,"

The Duke shook his head. "I think it'd be best if you rested as much as possible today, alright? We don't want any accidents."

B-Rabbit frowned. "I would _never_ allow any of my duties to be affected by-"

"I meant that I didn't want you to hurt yourself," Oscar cut in, frowning deeply.

B-Rabbit flinched at the interruption, immediately closing his mouth and lowering his gaze. "What happens to me is of little importance, Lord Oscar..."

Both Oscar and Gilbert opened their mouths to argue, but Ada beat them to it.

"You sound like my big brother," she mumbled, clenching her fists. The others stared at her in surprise. "He was very cool, and very kind, but when Gilbert and I weren't around he would cry."

Gil sucked in a sharp breath.

"Big Brother would always cry and say terrible things about himself when he thought no one was watching, and it always made me sad. So you shouldn't act like my brother because now he's gone and—" she faltered. "—and I think I like you so please don't go away."

B-Rabbit's eyes were wide. He bowed lowly, dark hair swinging forward and shading his expression. "Mistress Ada, I promise that I'll be here as long as you, and Lord Gilbert, and Lord Oscar need me."

But Gilbert didn't miss the way his hands were shaking.

* * *

"So, this is Gilbert's bedroom," Oscar gestured to the white door, "and the one next to it used to belong to Oz. The two rooms are connected by an adjoining door." He smiled wistfully.

B-Rabbit shifted uncomfortably. "So, um, the servants quarters are where...?"

Oscar paused, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. "Well, you see...I was actually kind of hoping you could take Gilbert's room, since I'm hiring you as a second valet." Before B-Rabbit could protest, he quickly turned to Gilbert and continued, "and Gil, I was thinking you could move to Oz's room—" Gilbert made a sudden strangled sound, and Oscar glanced at him in alarm. "—since the rooms are connected and all...in case either of you needs something..."

Sensing Gilbert's distress, B-Rabbit said quickly, "That's not necessary, Lord Oscar, although I appreciate the thought."

Gil shook his head. "N-No, it's alright, I'm fine." His face was pale. "I just...think it would be wrong for a servant like me to sleep in the Young Master's quarters..."

Oscar sighed. "I think it's wrong to keep that room empty. A waste of space, y'know?" He sent the raven a sideways glance. "If anyone is to sleep in there I think–and I think Oz would agree–that it should be you."

Gil blinked furiously, trying to hide the tears that were beginning to form. Oscar smiled gently, pulling the boy into a light hug.

B-Rabbit watched, biting his lip.

Straightening up, Oscar said, "I'll leave you boys to it then," He gave Gil a kind pat on the head. "I'll be in my office checking over some papers for Pandora, if you need anything."

As soon as he was out of earshot, B-Rabbit gave a low bow. "Master Gilbert, really, I think it would be better if I slept in the servants quarters—"

Gil lifted his head sharply. "Why did you call me Master?"

B-Rabbit flinched. "I-I'm sorry. I just thought that since Oscar doesn't _really_ need two valets...it would be best if I served you as well.."

"I don't need a servant." Gilbert's voice was firm. "I'm only a servant myself, and I'm fully capable of taking care of myself—" he raised a hand to brush it through his hair and B-Rabbit shrank back, crimson eyes wide. Gil froze.

"Hey...it's alright, I wasn't going to hurt you," he tried to take a step toward him, but the chain stumbled away, pressing his back to the wall. His breathing was erratic, and Gilbert felt a wave of fear begin to wash over him. He hadn't meant to scare B-Rabbit, and he was terrified at the thought of the chain going on a rampage in his panicked state.

B-Rabbit slid down the wall, raising his arms to cover his face. Gil was shocked to see tears beginning to run over his cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please, I'm so sorry, please, please no..."

A sick feeling twisted its way into Gilbert's throat. He knelt instinctively, pulling the chain into his arms and pressing him to his chest. "It's alright," he breathed, stroking a hand through the dirty black hair. "It's just a flashback, you're safe right now, you're safe." B-Rabbit fought him at first, trying to tug weakly out of the embrace, but Gil held on, and gradually the thinner boy melted into his arms.

Gil squeezed him gently as he sobbed, feeling the small hands fisting around his shirt. He bit his lip. "I'm sorry," he murmured into the chain's hair. B-Rabbit shook his head.

"Y-You need to stop blaming yourself for everything, Master Gilbert."

Gil sighed at the title. "But it was my fault. I triggered it."

"You didn't mean to."

"But I still caused you distress! You've only been here a few hours and you've already had a flashback. I haven't been doing a very good job of protecting you, and I'm sorry."

B-Rabbit stood slowly, shaking his head again as he untangled himself from Gilbert's arms. "Um, would you like to s-show me the rest of the house, Master Gilbert?"

* * *

"Will Master Oscar be joining us for dinner?"

Gilbert turned back to answer the chain just in time to see him sway and begin to tip backward. With a sharp yelp, Gil lunged forward, catching B-Rabbit's wrist and pulling him upright on the staircase.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Gil gasped, his heart still pounding from the scare. The chain had been so quiet, he had almost completely forgotten about the previous night's concussion.

"I thought you might worry," said B-Rabbit quietly, sinking to his knees. "I didn't want to inconvenience you with worries about me."

" _Falling down the stairs_ because you didn't tell anyone how dizzy you are is only going to worry me more!"

"I'm sorry," B-Rabbit mumbled, looking away.

Gil sighed. "Why don't we just go get cleaned up for dinner? You're right, Master Oscar planned to eat with us tonight." The raven smiled slightly. "He really is very kind."

B-Rabbit nodded, pushing himself to his feet, Gil's hand on his shoulder the entire time. He didn't say anything, but Gilbert could feel the chain trembling with exhaustion.

"Tell me how your head's feeling," he murmured, looping an arm around B-Rabbit's shoulders as they climbed the rest of the stairs.

"Aches," the chain mumbled, eyes dropping slightly. "'ve been a bit dizzy all day."

"Are you tired?" asked Gil, biting his lip anxiously.

"Mmm hmm,"

Gilbert could feel the chain leaning on him more and more as they spoke. Gil sighed again.

He struggled for a moment with the door to his room, nearly dragging the chain to his bed.

"What about dinner?" B-Rabbit mumbled.

"You need to rest. Master Oscar will understand."

He pushed away some of the dark hair, angry to discover the blood soaked bandages hiding beneath. He took a deep breath. "Um, has anyone changed these since I put them on?"

B-Rabbit shook his head.

Gil sighed, running a hand through his hair and hurrying to the small washroom in the corner of his bedroom. He quickly grabbed a roll of bandages and a small cloth.

He ran the cloth gently over the chain's forehead, wiping away the dried blood before re-wrapping the bandages and pulling the blankets up to B-Rabbit's chin.

There was a soft knock on the door. "Gil? Are you boys in there?"

"Yes, Master Oscar," he called, setting the cloth and roll of bandages onto the small table beside the bed.

The door opened, and Gil turned to give the Duke a tired smile. "I'm so sorry about dinner, Master Oscar," he murmured, running a gentle hand over B-Rabbit's forehead. "His head was bothering him..." he smiled sheepishly. "I hope you weren't inconvenienced..."

Oscar came to stand beside Gilbert, giving his shoulder a soft squeeze. "No, Gil, don't worry. I'm proud that you're taking such good care of our new friend."

Gil glanced at the drowsy chain, gripping his hand lightly. "He had a flashback," he said quietly to Oscar. The Duke's expression dropped to one of anxiety.

"What happened?"

Gilbert paused, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. "I was careless," he admitted. "I suppose I moved too fast, and I think he thought I was going to hit him." Oscar's grip tightened on his shoulder. "He was crying, telling me he was sorry, over and over..." Gil shuddered. It horrified him to think of what could reduce a mighty chain from the Abyss to a sobbing, terrified mess.

Oscar sighed. "I was worried about something like this." He moved to sit next to Gilbert on the bed, gazing sadly at B-Rabbit's still form. The chain had finally fallen asleep, curled up to his pillow like a young child with a stuffed toy. "I'm afraid of how so much abuse must've affected him."

"He..." Gil paused, struggling to find the right words. "He just seems so...human, you know?"

Oscar nodded, running a hand through his beard. "To be entirely honest, I'm a bit curious about his abilities as a chain. The Bloodstained Black Rabbit is well known for being incredibly powerful, it seems impossible to me that this small boy could be a murderer."

"Will he...need a contract at some point to stay in this world, Master Oscar?"

"I honestly can't say for sure." He gave Gil's shoulder a soft pat. "But, if that time comes, I'm fully confident that you'll make the right choice, Gil."

"Choice?"

"Well...if Pandora finds out that we've got the B-Rabbit just parading around with us, I'm sure they're going to want to study him extensively." He gazed out the window for a moment, watching thin clouds trail across the moon. "No way to get a blood mirror without them finding out, then. We'll either have to make an Illegal Contract, or send B-Rabbit back to the Abyss."


	3. Chapter Two

**Hello! I suppose you can call me Luna :) I think this chapter's a little shorter…but I hope you enjoy it!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original and rightful owners**

* * *

Gilbert sat up sharply, his heart thundering wildly in his chest. The sheets were tangled around his legs, the soft silk soaked with sweat. Cool moonlight shone through the window, flooding the room. Oz's room. Gil felt sick.

He pulled the blankets up farther, a fading scent of fresh grass and old books reaching his nose and making his eyes sting. That smell was home. That smell was _Oz_.

He focused on trying to blink back the tears, but they slid out anyway, trailing slowly down his cheeks and dripping down onto the expensive sheets. Oz's sheets.

A quiet whimper escaped him and he buried his face in his hands, mindful of the chain sleeping in the adjoined room. To his horror, there was a soft knock on the door.

"Master Gilbert? Are you alright?"

Gil took a shuddering breath, hurrying to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "F-Fine,"

A pause. "May I come in?"

Gil fumbled for words. "Umm..." he pressed his face into the blankets, praying it would be good enough. "I-I guess..."

There was a quiet click as B-Rabbit slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. "Are you alright?" He repeated.

"Did I wake you?" Gil whispered.

The chain shook his head, moving to stand by the edge of the bed. "I was already awake."

Gil blinked. "Oh. How long?" B-Rabbit shrugged. There was an awkward pause, and Gil suddenly realized what the chain was doing. He quickly patted the space beside him.

Sending him a fleeting smile, B-Rabbit perched lightly on the edge of the bed near Gil's legs. "Are you alright?"

Gil frowned. "I already told you, I'm fine." His words were met with a soft, lopsided smile that turned into a slight grimace.

"People don't always say what they mean though, do they?"

Gil laughed shakily. "I guess that's true."

"Was it a nightmare?"

Gilbert stiffened. A small cloud passed over the moon, faint shadows dancing over the chain's face. Crimson eyes watched him sadly. "May I ask what it was about?"

Gil shifted, absently fingering the small locket concealed beneath his shirt. "Oz." He said at last, giving a bitter chuckle and glancing away. B-Rabbit sucked in a quiet breath.

"...Oh."

"I constantly worry about him," Gil continued, "I always picture every horrible possibility of what they could be doing to him, even as we _speak_." His fingers tightened around the locket. "Here I sit, cozy and warm, wrapped up in his luxurious sheets, while he's who-knows-where, and I—" his voice broke, "—I don't even know if he's still _alive!_ "

B-Rabbit shifted, moving to sit beside him and leaning against the pillows. "So you dream about the what-ifs," he murmured, gazing vacantly at the opposite wall.

Gil nodded miserably, running an anxious hand through his hair. "Sometimes I think that maybe it would be better if I at least knew for sure, if I at least _knew_ if he was off being tortured somewhere, or i-if he was lying dead on the side of the road..." He buried his face in his hands.

"If you knew that there was a chance." B-Rabbit's voice was quiet.

"Exactly," came the watery reply. Gil pulled the locket from his shirt, watching it glint in the moonlight. "I blame myself every day for all of this,"

B-Rabbit's head whirled toward him, crimson eyes wide with alarm. "Master Gilbert, from what you've told me it sounds like your Master was being incredibly stupid. You tried to help him and he rejected it. Any trouble he might be in now could have been prevented if only he'd listened to you!"

Fingers tightening around the locket, Gil answered, "but maybe he would still be here if I had been more convincing!" He pressed his hands to his mouth, stifling a sob. "You have no idea how much I miss him, B-Rabbit."

His voice dropped to a broken whisper. "He was my best friend."

The chain beside him stiffened. "What's that?"

Gil looked up, blinking back his tears and following the his gaze. "This locket? I gave it to Oz on the day he was kidnapped..."

"H-Have you ever opened it?"

Gil shook his head. "That would be an invasion on my Master's privacy." He laughed wistfully. "And besides, I don't really think he would have had enough time to put something in it anyway..." He glanced to the side just in time to see the pained look that crossed B-Rabbit's features.

"What woke you?"

The chain smiled sadly. "Nightmares."

"O-Oh..." Gil looked away. "Um...may I ask what they were about?"

B-Rabbit shrugged. "Old friends, things that happened while I was serving my Master. Nothing too bad."

Gil hummed thoughtfully. "But they were enough to keep you from trying to sleep again?"

Another shrug.

Gilbert gave a kind smile. "Why don't you stay in here for the night then? I've heard company keeps nightmares away..." he gently tucked the locket back into his shirt.

The chain shook his head. "Oh, I couldn't ask that of you, Master. But thank you for your generosity." He lowered his head.

Gil's brows furrowed. "Think of it like...you'll be helping me too. This way I don't have nightmares." He smiled shyly. "But neither do you."

The chain looked up at him in surprise.

Gil glanced out the window again. "And besides," he murmured, fingering the sheets, "being here, in this room, without my Master..." he shivered. "It feels so cold...like all the life is being sucked out of me by this emptiness."

"Why do you...care about Oz Vessalius so much?"

Gil smiled sadly, brushing his hand over the cover of a Holy Knight book that had been left unfinished on the beside table. It was covered with dust. He swallowed.

"Young Master Oz was...full of light. He was bright and strong and beautiful; the opposite of everything that I am." B-Rabbit opened his mouth to protest, but Gilbert continued, "I know there was darkness in him as well, and I realized that we were connected by that darkness." He smiled sadly. "He was like a brother to me, someone who would always be there, and who I had to protect, to keep beside me at all costs." He looked away.

"But I failed him."

A tentative hand slipped into his. "You haven't failed. Look at you, you and Master Oscar go out every day to search for him when his own father wouldn't pay the ransom. That's not failing, Master Gil."

Master Gil. Gilbert blinked, suddenly realizing it was the first time the chain had called him that. That voice, those expressions, that face...Gil shuddered, giving B-Rabbit's hand a tight squeeze.

"Sometimes you remind me so much of the Young Master it hurts."

B-Rabbit's soft smile faltered. He looked away. "I-I'm sorry..."

Gil shook his head, tracing absent circles onto the back of the other's hand. "Don't be. No matter how much you look or act like him, Master Oz wasn't a chain. I just have to keep reminding myself of that and it'll be fine."

The hand in his pulled away sharply.

"A-Ah..."

Gil blinked in surprise. "You know, s-sometimes you just seem so... _human_."

B-Rabbit pulled his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs and burying his face in them. "I would give _everything_ just to be human." The words were so soft Gilbert wondered if he had even been meant to hear them.

"W-Why? You have amazing power, why would you give it up just to be normal?" He reached out a hand to brush B-Rabbit's shoulder. The chain jerked away like he'd been stung.

"I'm a murderer, Master Gilbert!" He whirled, red eyes flashing. "I've killed hundreds of innocent people!"

Gil found himself instinctively shrinking away from the sudden swirl of energy he could feel pulsing from the chain.

B-Rabbit's eyes widened, and the power around him vanished. He was breathing heavily. "N-No...I...I wouldn't hurt you..."

Gilbert realized that his terror must've shown in his expression, and he struggled to force himself to smile.

He reached out a hand to the trembling chain, pulling him into a soft hug. "I know, B-Rabbit," he murmured, resting his head on the other's shoulder. "You just surprised me. Don't worry."

The chain's breath hitched, and Gil could feel him fighting back tears. "It's okay to cry," he breathed. All at once, B-Rabbit fell against him, small sobs wracking his body. Gilbert pulled him closer, leaning back into the pillows and pulling the blankets close around them.

He curled himself around the smaller boy, pressing his face into the thick black hair. The scent of ash and dust reached his nose, and he closed his eyes, leaning into the familiar smell of books.

* * *

Gil woke with the first light of dawn, surprised to find the skinny chain cuddled up to his chest, fingers fisted in his shirt. He was also surprised to realize that he hadn't had a nightmare again after falling asleep for the first time in months.

He shifted, turning his head slightly to catch sight of the clock. Still early. Gil sighed, relaxing back into the pillows. Oscar wouldn't be awake and in need of assistance yet. B-Rabbit made a soft noise of protest at the movement, and Gilbert realized with a jolt that the chain was still asleep.

He stiffened, hoping he hadn't woken the smaller boy prematurely. Despite what he might say, Gil knew how desperately B-Rabbit needed the rest. And some healthy food, he decided. One arm was looped around the chain's waist, and he could feel his ribs through the thin shirt.

Gilbert sighed. That was another matter to worry about. B-Rabbit was taller than him, but so skinny. He feared his clothing would be too short, and the chain would be swimming in anything of Oz's. Maybe one of the other servants would have something to spare.

B-Rabbit shifted, curling closer to him and letting out a soft murmur of, "Gil..."

Gil froze. Why couldn't he shake the thoughts of Oz from his head whenever B-Rabbit was around?

"Ah...Master?"

He suddenly found a pair of sleepy red eyes blinking up at him blearily. Gil flushed guiltily. "Oh, I didn't mean to wake you,"

The chain yawned. "'S'okay...wh'time is it?"

"A little past dawn," Gil murmured, brushing some of B-Rabbit's hair from his face. The chain went rigid.

"Shit!" He jerked back, away from Gilbert and nearly flung himself off the bed.

Gil sat up quickly. "What's wrong?"

B-Rabbit had raced to the small washroom, emerging with a small set of rags. He paused, glancing back at Gil in confusion. "I...what?" The rags slipped from his hands. "You're...still here?" His face paled, his legs buckling as he sank to the floor. "Oh."

Gil hurried to his side, pressing an anxious hand to his forehead but finding no sign of a fever. "What was that?"

"This is real?" The chain whispered, crimson eyes a strange mixture of hope and fear.

"Oh," said Gil quietly, sitting back on his heels. In his exhaustion, B-Rabbit had forgotten where he was. "Uh...if you didn't think I was really there...do you usually hallucinate companions?"

The chain flushed, glancing away. "Ah...sometimes..." he fidgeted with one sleeve. "I've gotten used to it by now. Sometimes...I don't know, I guess I just miss my friends so much that I will myself into seeing them..."

Sensing the rest of Gilbert's questions, he quickly stood. "What time does Master Oscar usually need you?"

Gil frowned. "Seven."

"Oh...we have a while then..."

Sighing, Gil stood as well and made toward the door that joined to his old room. "Why don't we get cleaned up and find you something to wear?"

B-Rabbit ducked his head. "That's not necessary...this is fine."

Gil raised an eyebrow, taking in the stretched collar of his tattered shirt. "It's no trouble," he rummaged through his drawers, managing to find a shirt and some pants he hoped would be long enough. "Um, could you please try these on?"

B-Rabbit sighed, pulling off his shirt and grabbing the one Gil had given him. Gil froze, gaze locked on the chain's suddenly bare skin.

Red eyes softened as they caught his stare. "Master?"

"How could anyone...hurt someone else like this?" Gilbert breathed. B-Rabbit's chest was littered with bruises, faint scars scattered here and there.

Gil stepped forward, tentatively brushing his fingers over a long one that stretched from one shoulder to the opposite hip. It was fainter than some of the others, indicating its age, but Gilbert could tell it had been deep. Painful. He swallowed.

B-Rabbit pulled back sharply, slipping the new shirt on and bowing his thanks.

* * *

"Did you two sleep alright?" Oscar wondered, sending Gil a quick smile as the servant handed him his breakfast.

"Yes, thank you Master Oscar," said B-Rabbit quietly.

"This breakfast is very nice, Gilbert, you're quite the cook," he winked. The raven flushed, bowing his head to acknowledge the compliment.

"Will you be at Pandora today, Master Oscar?"

Oscar sighed. "'Fraid so, Gil. We'll go out and search a little more tomorrow, all right?"

Gil nodded, sighing slightly. "What would you like us to do while you're away?"

Oscar patted him on the head. "Take another day off."

"B-But Master, there must be something that needs to be done!"

The Duke laughed. "Yes, and the maids will do that. I want you to focus on relaxing, alright Gil?" He ruffled the raven's hair affectionately. "You've been so stressed since Oz was taken."

Gil sighed. "I suppose...if that's really what you want, Master. But there must be something you had in mind...?"

"What're some of your favorite pastimes, B-Rabbit?"

The chain fidgeted. "Erm...it's been awhile, but...I suppose reading is fun...and I think I like picnicking..."

Oscar smiled. "See, Gil? There you go,"

* * *

"What kind of books do you like to read?" Gil wondered, perusing a shelf for a title that sounded interesting.

"Um...I used to really like the Holy Knight series..."

Gil stiffened on the ladder. "O-Oh, Young Master Oz likes them too..." He paused for a moment before stepping up another rung. "We have most of the series around here somewhere. He um...liked to leave them in odd places, jumping from one book to another as he waited for new ones to come out..."

"Volume six is a favorite of mine," said B-Rabbit, pulling the book from the cushion of one of the sitting chairs. Gilbert stared down at him in surprise.

Finally choosing a thin cookbook, Gil made to step down from the ladder saying, "Oz liked that one too—" He let out a surprised yelp as his foot slipped and he rocked backward off the ladder.

"Master!" B-Rabbit gasped, lunging forward, arms outstretched to catch the raven. He grunted as Gilbert's weight plopped into his arms, sending him toppling forward onto the ground.

"Are you alright?" asked Gil, standing up quickly.

The chain nodded, though he moved a bit slower than Gil as he got to his feet. "Just a bruise. How about you, Master?"

"I'm fine, thanks to you," Gil smiled warmly. B-Rabbit tentatively smiled back.

* * *

It was early afternoon when B-Rabbit snapped his book shut. Gil stared at him. "You finished it already?"

"You like cooking, right Master Gilbert?"

Gil nodded, marking his page and closing the cookbook.

"Um..." B-Rabbit shifted uncomfortably. "Would you teach me to make something? And then maybe we could have a picnic?"

Gilbert blinked at him. "Um, sure, if that's what you want," He stood and stretched before heading toward the kitchen. "What would you like to make?"

"Blueberry muffins are your favorite, right? We could make those..."

Gil stopped walking. "How did you know I liked blueberry muffins?"

B-Rabbit looked away. "You...bookmarked a recipe for them in that cookbook...I just assumed…."

Pushing open the kitchen doors, Gil laughed. "You're pretty observant, B-Rabbit!" He pulled out some berries and milk, running a hard through his hair. "To be honest...I've only made these once. Oz had—has—a bit of a sweet tooth, so muffins weren't ever really a request."

He blushed, looking away. "Too plain for him."

Attempting to hide his wistful smile, Gil stretched up to one of the cupboards to grab a bowl and some sugar. "Could you get the baking powder? It's in the drawer to your left."

B-Rabbit nodded, sliding the drawer open and extracting the requested ingredient. Gilbert rummaged around in a small bucket filled aesthetically with varying bottles and pulled out some cooking oil. He turned to pick up some blueberries from a small basket where they'd been left after being picked. At Gil's instruction, B-Rabbit gathered the milk and an egg.

Stepping back, Gil rubbed one arm a bit anxiously. "Alright so...we need to mix the dry ingredients first..." He poured the baking powder and sugar into the bowl. "Um, could you grab the flour from that cupboard over there while I get some salt?"

B-Rabbit nodded, climbing up onto the counter upon realizing he wasn't tall enough. Gil dropped a pinch of salt into the mix, snagging a bit of vanilla from a cupboard as he did so. There was a quiet gasp from behind him, and Gilbert turned just in time to see B-Rabbit go toppling backward off the counter with the bag of four in his arms.

There was a loud thud as the chain's body hit the ground, and—to Gil's horror—a large poof of white as the flour bag split. B-Rabbit groaned. Gil quickly knelt beside him. "Are you alright?"

The chain pushed himself upright, his eyes frantic. "I-I'm so sorry!" He moved to his knees, scrabbling to wipe at the mess with the hem of his shirt. Gil frowned, not missing how gingerly he was holding his left wrist.

"Wait, you're hurt—" he broke off, startled to find tears trailing their way through the flour coating the boy's face.

"I'll clean everything up, I promise!"

Gil pulled a washcloth from the counter, catching B-Rabbit's shoulder and holding him still as he wiped the four away. "It's okay, we can clean it together," he said gently, watching the chain wipe at his eyes in embarrassment.

"B-But Mrs. Kate will be angry with you..."

Gil tried his best to offer a reassuring smile. "I'm sure she'll understand it was an accident," he pulled a spare roll of bandages from one of the drawers, "a-as long as we do a good job cleaning up, that is..."

He took the chain's wrist, wrapping it gently. "Um, please be a bit more careful, alright? It's only a little sprained right now, but if you keep being so reckless with your health, you could seriously injure yourself..." Catching B-Rabbit's indifferent look, he added, "...and then you might not be able to do your job properly..." The chain's eyes grew wide.

Gil stood, offering the chain his hand. "Why don't we put the muffins in the oven? We can clean while they're baking." B-Rabbit nodded shyly, carefully picking up the torn bag of flour and setting it next to the bowl.

He instructed the chain to stir the dry ingredients while he cracked the egg, poured in the milk, oil, and vanilla and stirred them in a separate bowl. Finally the boys poured their bowls together and Gil mixed while showing B-Rabbit how to fold in the blueberries. It looked lumpy and thick.

The chain frowned down at the finished mixture. "Er...are you sure these will turn out?"

Gil bit his lip, brushing some of the flour off of his hands. "I'm fairly sure...I just hope I remembered the recipe right…" He set to the task of pouring the batter into each muffin cup, catching B-Rabbit's curious gaze out of the corner of his eye. He smiled.

They got to work cleaning the kitchen as soon as the muffins were in the oven. Gilbert had to admit, he was a little surprised at what an efficient worker B-Rabbit was. The chain seemed to know exactly the fastest ways to scrub the flour from the floor, and they were almost entirely finished by the time Gil declared the muffins fully cooked.

The boys allowed them to cool while they finished scrubbing, stuffing them into a small picnic basket and grabbing a blanket on their way outside.

* * *

A cool breeze stirred the air, pulling at the edges of their picnic blanket. Gil sent B-Rabbit a warm smile, pulling a muffin from the basket and taking a cheerful bite. The chain mimicked his actions, blinking in surprise when the flavor of the muffin reached his tongue.

"These actually turned out okay!" His eyes were shining, and again, Gilbert found himself growing curiously happy. There was just something about that expression on the normally subdued chain's face that was like sunshine to Gil.

"That's why I like cooking," said Gil, leaning back onto the blanket and watching the clouds drift across the afternoon sky. It was rather overcast, he noticed.

"What?"

"You take small things, pieces of a puzzle, and mix them together to create something wonderful for everyone."

B-Rabbit fell silent, and Gil glanced over to find him staring down at his muffin, a strange sadness flickering behind his eyes. Another breeze ruffled their hair.

"That's so like you, Master Gil," The chain murmured at last, picking a berry out of the muffin and rolling it between his fingers. "Always trying to make everyone happy…"

Gilbert opened his mouth to respond, but B-Rabbit looked up at him then, his crimson eyes burning with a sudden intensity. Gil's eyes widened.

"I swear to do everything in my power to show you how grateful I truly am for all that you've done, Master."

Gilbert blinked. The blaze in the chain's eyes was warm, like a fireplace on a cold winter night. It was startling, if he were entirely honest. To think that this skinny, shy boy was capable of such fierce passion...Gil realized that he was only getting a tiny glimpse of what B-Rabbit was truly capable of.

"Ah...thank you, B-Rabbit, really," He sent the chain an affectionate smile. "You've...ah, actually helped me, too…" Gil blushed, averting his gaze. "I was so lost, without Oz, and I feel a little like you've helped me to busy myself in his absence…" Inwardly cringing, Gil bit his lip. _That sounds so selfish…._

But to his surprise, B-Rabbit laughed. Startled, Gilbert realized that he'd never heard the sound before. It was soft, melodic, almost a giggle. It was also tentative, as though worried it might not be accepted. _Bittersweet,_ Gil decided.

"That's good," he smiled, running a hand over the surface of his–still unfinished–muffin. "You seemed so... _empty_ , Master Gilbert, and I just couldn't let you destroy yourself like you were, so I...I was...hoping to distract you…" He glanced up shyly. "I'm glad it's working."

Gil stiffened. Suddenly his dreams were flashing before his eyes, terrible and horrific images of his master's agony...the clouds above blurred together into one soft mass of gray. Oz could be _dying_ , and what was he doing? Having a picnic.

"Master?"

Gil willed himself to sit up, to take another muffin, to send B-Rabbit his most grateful smile. The chain had only been trying to help, after all.

And hadn't it been working?

B-Rabbit seemed to see through Gilbert's cheer, for his eyes dimmed. He finished off his muffin with small bites, running a thoughtful hand through the grass.

A small drop of rain landed on Gil's palm. He glanced up. The clouds had darkened.

"We should get under those trees,"

He followed B-Rabbit's gesturing hand, still blinking away the slight sting that had sprung up behind his eyes. "But what if there's lightning…?"

B-Rabbit looked up into the gray sky. "There won't be."

"How can you be so—"

The chain stood, ignoring Gilbert's protests and holding out a hand.

Sighing, Gil complied, and together they stuffed the rest of the muffins and their blanket into the basket and made for the forest.

They were almost there when the clouds let loose, and it began to pour. Gil gasped as the cold water soaked his hair and clothes, dripping and running into his eyes. He could've sworn he heard B-Rabbit giggle.

It was slightly darker under the trees, and—B-Rabbit had been wise—the rain was reduced to a steady trickle.

Gilbert stared out at the fields in awe. It was astonishingly beautiful to watch the rain pound the grass, streaking through the overcast sky and dousing the hills.

He turned to see B-Rabbit smiling, ebony hair plastered to his cheeks and dripping with raindrops.

Gil smiled widely back.

The chain opened his mouth, stiffening suddenly when a sharp roar echoed through the forest. Immediately, B-Rabbit's slim fingers locked around Gil's wrist, and he pulled the boy after him into the undergrowth.

"Wha—"

"Chain!" B-Rabbit hissed. Gil caught a glimpse of the terror in his eyes as they whirled round a large tree.

He swallowed.

If B-Rabbit was afraid, there must really be danger.

The chain yelped as his feet slipped on the slick deadfall, and suddenly the two boys were tumbling down a muddy hill, coming to a stop in a crumpled heap at the bottom.

Gil sat up quickly, rolling off the chain at B-Rabbit's pained cry. B-Rabbit pushed himself to stand, cradling the wrist he'd sprained earlier with one hand.

Sensing Gilbert's panic, he said quickly, "I'm fine, it's not broken."

Gil frowned, brushing some of the mud from his face. "Still, please be caref—"

" _Is that B-Rabbit, I smell?"_ A low growl rumbled all around them.

B-Rabbit whirled, seizing Gilbert's shoulders. "Go back to the house and find Master Oscar!"

"But—"

"I'll be fine! Go!"

Gil stood his ground. "I'm not leaving you!" He could feel the chain trembling.

Something unreadable passed through B-Rabbit's eyes. The fire was suddenly ice. "Master Gil, _go_ or I'll sick Mistress Ada's cats on you!" His tone was fierce, sharp. A command. And, instinctively, Gilbert obeyed.

Blinking back tears, he spun and fled, glancing back to see B-Rabbit watching him go, and Gil pretended not to have seen the tears shimmering behind the chain's eyes.

* * *

"Master Oscar!"

Gil burst into the noble's study, startling the poor blond as he jumped up from his desk. "Gil? What's wrong?"

The raven gasped for breath. "P-Please...you have to come, Master Oscar! B-Rabbit...in the forest...there's a chain!"

The man stood sharply, cursing and pulling on his coat. Gil didn't miss the handgun he shoved into one of the pockets. "Where?"

* * *

The rain had slowed to a faint drizzle, and Gil found himself blinking back the occasional drop that ran into his eyes. At least, that's what he kept telling himself. _It's just the rain…._

They came across the picnic basket on their way, and Oscar picked it up with an anxious frown. "Can you take me to the last place you saw him, Gilbert?" Gil nodded, desperately trying to make sure their route was correct.

The forest had fallen silent but for the quiet drip of raindrops on leaves. Gil wasn't sure if it was reassuring or terrifying. He swallowed.

The clearing where he had left the chain had been ravaged. Full grown trees were uprooted, tangled roots muddied from the rain. A few trunks were dangling precariously, about to fall. The grass was in tatters.

Gil gasped, racing toward the dark-haired form crumpled in the mud. B-Rabbit let out a muffled groan as Gilbert scooped him into his arms, burying his face in the chain's shoulder. The chain shivered.

Gil instantly pulled back, tugging off his coat and bundling it round B-Rabbit's thin form. "You're soaked to the skin," he breathed, rubbing the chain's shoulders as he looped an arm around him and helped him to stand. B-Rabbit's legs buckled almost immediately, and he slumped against Gilbert.

Oscar hurried over, offering to help carry the chain, but Gil refused, only asking for assistance in hoisting B-Rabbit onto his back.

"'M fine…" B-Rabbit mumbled, his chin heavy against Gil's shoulder. "I c'n walk...jus' tired…."

Gilbert shook his head. "I've got you," he said, grip tightening around the chain's knees. B-Rabbit was _far_ too light.

Oscar picked up the picnic basket, glancing over as they walked. "What happened to the other chain?"

"Kill'd it…"

Humming thoughtfully, Oscar added, "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"N—"

"He sprained his wrist," Gil interrupted, frowning deeply. "It didn't seem _too_ severe, but it's probably still enough to be troublesome."

Oscar let out a soft breath. "You boys," He gave a bitter chuckle, his eyes darkening. "Always getting into so much trouble…" He smiled wistfully, wise enough not to mention Oz.

* * *

That night, Gil curled up in his bed with a small smile. He was pleased by the way B-Rabbit seemed to be opening up to him. He was glad to feel needed again. Closing his eyes, he snuggled up to his–Oz's–pillow, breathing in the sweet scent of his Master.

A sudden thought occurred to him and his eyes shot open. _How had B-Rabbit known he was afraid of cats?_


	4. Chapter Three

**A/N: Updates will probably be moved to once a week from now on. (Maybe sooner if y'all are enjoying it, but idk :) Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter, drop a review if you'd like, and...enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: All content belongs to its original owners. If I owned Pandora hearts, it would have some sort of epilogue series...;-;**

* * *

Balancing a plate of eggs on one hand, Gil peeked into the room that had once belonged to him. He blinked in surprise at the small blonde form perched on a chair at the edge of the bed.

"—'re so beautiful, may I feel them?" Ada's voice was tentative and sweet.

A nervous stutter of allowance met her question. Gilbert leaned in a little further, nearly dropping the eggs as he caught sight of the black rabbit ears protruding from B-Rabbit's hair. Ada's small fingers ran over them gently, a soft giggle escaping her at their obviously fine texture.

"Does it use up a lot of your energy?" Ada wondered, continuing to stroke one of the ears.

"Umm…" B-Rabbit sounded slightly uncomfortable. "I guess they don't make me as tired as using a full rabbit form…" He scratched one ear absently. "But I would rather look human either way—"

"I, uh...brought you some breakfast…" Gil blurted, fingers tightening around the plate as he almost dropped it once again.

B-Rabbit jumped, his ears tipping back sharply. They drooped in embarrassment as he refused to meet Gilbert's eyes. "Ah...thank you, Master…" He dipped his head.

Giving what he hoped was a reassuring smile, Gil moved to sit on the edge of the bed. He carefully set the plate on the chain's lap. Eying the ears, he said, "I didn't know you could do that."

B-Rabbit glanced away, fingers playing idly with the fork Gilbert had given him. "I don't like them," he said quietly.

Ada sent Gil a sad look. Its meaning was clear. Gil smiled. "I think they're cool," he murmured, reaching out a hesitant hand. "M-May I…?"

B-Rabbit looked startled at the praise, his eyes wide as he gave a slight nod and ducked his head so Gil didn't have to reach as far. "You...um, you really think…?"

Gilbert beamed at him, running a gentle hand over the velvety fur. "Of course! I think I would like to have rabbit ears like you!"

B-Rabbit flushed, his eyes shining. He glanced down at his plate, a pleased smile making its way over his cheeks. "Th-That's so kind of you, Master Gilbert…" Still smiling slightly, he stuck a small forkful of eggs into his mouth.

Gil and Ada exchanged an excited look. Maybe, one day, B-Rabbit would have a healthy level of self-confidence! The thin chain continued to eat slowly, oblivious to their cheer as Gilbert rubbed his silky ears.

To Gil's delight, B-Rabbit managed to finish almost the entire plate. He'd been trying to ease the chain into eating larger meals; he'd obviously been underfed during his time under Baron Henry, but he didn't want to make the other sick by feeding him too much at once. It was slow going, but Gil was pleased that they were making progress.

"Um, B-Rabbit, do you think you would be feeling up to going to town with Master Oscar and I this afternoon?"

The chain blinked up at him, one ear twitching thoughtfully. "I'll be fine with whatever you need me to do, Master,"

Gil sighed. "But I don't know if I can trust that you're being honest with me…" At the momentary look of hurt that flashed across B-Rabbit's face, he added, "It makes things worse when you lie about how you're feeling…" He scowled, gently taking B-Rabbit's injured wrist in one hand.

"Did you keep the ice on it as much as you could before you went to sleep?"

B-Rabbit nodded, glancing over at the small bowl on a table beside the bed. It was filled about halfway with clear water. Gil smiled. "Thank you." He sent the chain a sideways look. "The more you rest it, the sooner it'll heal…"

The chain nodded again, his ears drooping slightly. Ada produced a small roll of bandages. "I was wondering if you wanted to re-wrap it Gil," she murmured, holding it out to the surprised servant.

"Oh! How thoughtful, Mistress Ada, thank you!"

She beamed at him, standing and turning to go. "I'll go ask Uncle what time he was planning on leaving, for you!"

Gil watched her leave with a soft smile. He wasn't sure how he could've handled Oz's absence without her. Gently, he began to unwrap the old bandages from around B-Rabbit's wrist, sighing slightly at the sight of the swelled appendage. There were dark bruises beginning to form on the inside of his wrist. Gil bit his lip.

"Does it hurt?"

B-Rabbit glanced down at him, another flash of that emotion Gilbert didn't recognize flickering behind his eyes for a moment. "...O-Only a little…" Not meeting Gil's gaze, he added, "...it just feels a bit warm…"

Gil nodded, running his thumb carefully over the bruises. B-Rabbit flinched slightly. Letting out a quiet breath, he began to wrap the chain's wrist with gentle, precise fingers. He pulled the bandages as tight as he dared, watching B-Rabbit's face all the while, and freezing immediately at even the slightest sign of discomfort.

The chain smiled softly at him, flexing his wrist a little as a test. There was a soft knock on the door, and Oscar stepped in. The duke paused slightly upon seeing the long rabbit ears, but Oscar took it in stride, coming to stand beside Gil and placing a warm hand on the servant's head.

"How are you this morning, B-Rabbit?"

The chain looked down, his cheeks reddening slightly. "I-I'm alright...thank you, Master Oscar…"

Oscar smiled kindly. "How would you boys like to come to town with me for a bit this afternoon?" He sent Gil a soft look. "We can search until dinner time, alright? Ada wanted to have dinner with us tonight, and since Zai is coming to take her to the opera later, we'll need to eat a little earlier than usual."

Gil sent the duke a grateful nod. "That's fine, thank you, Master Oscar." He looked down somewhat wistfully. "Any time we spend searching is time well spent."

"...Your dedication is astonishing…" B-Rabbit mumbled, his ears lowering slightly.

Oscar smiled, giving one of the chain's ears a gentle rub. B-Rabbit flinched before relaxing into the touch. "Oz was someone very special to us."

B-Rabbit's fists clenched in his lap.

* * *

It was warm, the sun shining down fiercely upon them as they strolled the streets of Reveil. Gilbert was eager, his head turning at every flash of blond hair, every spark of green eyes.

B-Rabbit watched him in silence.

Catching the chain's melancholy stare, Oscar gave B-Rabbit a soft pat on the head. "You should've kept your ears out," he said, chuckling at B-Rabbit's reddening cheeks.

Gil laughed too, and Oscar didn't miss the gentle smile the chain gave when Gil wasn't looking.

"Hey, B-Rabbit?" Gil's voice was soft. He was still looking away from the chain. B-Rabbit's eyes flickered curiously.

"Hm?"

"Um," Gilbert fidgeted. "Do you think...er, I mean...would you be able to….follow Young Master Oz's scent?" He blushed.

B-Rabbit stiffened. Catching his startled expression, Gil quickly backtracked. "N-Nevermind! I-I was just...I was just being silly…"

"I guess I could try…" The chain's voice was soft. He wouldn't meet either of their eyes. "I-I might be able to help….um...if you wanted me to, Master…"

Gilbert blinked. "If you would…" he said quietly. "I would really appreciate you even trying..."

B-Rabbit paused for a moment, his eyes uncertain, before he leaned in and pressed his face into Gil's hair. The valet yelped, immediately pulling away. B-Rabbit flinched.

"S-Sorry, you sleep in his bed, so I had to—"

"It's, ah, it's fine," said Gil quickly, fighting down the blush that had risen in his cheeks.

Still looking anxious, B-Rabbit gave a small nod and turned down a sidestreet. Exchanging a glance, Gilbert and Oscar followed him.

The chain led them quickly, almost as though he already knew their destination. Oscar scowled when he stopped at an old warehouse, one the duke knew had been empty for many years.

"This is where they said to bring Oz's ransom money," he said quietly, his eyes misting slightly. "We checked the next morning, but it was already empty."

B-Rabbit nodded, turning and pulling open one of the rusted doors anyway. Gil followed close behind him as he stepped into the darkness.

"What's this?" Gil murmured, moving to the center of the room and picking up the small paper that lay abandoned on the floor. Oscar hurried to his side.

"An envelope!" The blond gasped, pulling the torn paper from Gilbert's hands and squinting to read the scribbled handwriting. He whirled suddenly, pulling both boys into a firm hug. "There's a return address! This is the only lead we've had so far! Oh, B-Rabbit, _thank you!"_

The chain ducked his head at his release, his fingers gripping the edges of his shirt tightly. "I'm glad I could...be of service, Master Oscar." he said quietly. Gil frowned at his subdued posture, wrapping his arms around B-Rabbit in a tentative hug of his own. The chain went rigid.

"Thank you," Gil said quietly into his ear, closing his eyes. "You should be incredibly proud of your abilities." He pulled back, offering B-Rabbit a wide smile, and the chain smiled weakly back.

Clicking open his pocket watch, Oscar grinned. "We should get back to have dinner with Ada, and then I'll take this to a friend of mine from Pandora, he might be able to track it."

* * *

Ada beamed at them when they entered the second dining room. Oscar pulled her into a quick hug, moving to sit beside her and motioning for Gilbert and B-Rabbit to sit across from them.

The chain seemed incredibly uncomfortable, and at first Gil assumed it was because the he was sensing Gil's own restless excitement, so he was startled when B-Rabbit at last said, "A chain shouldn't sit with nobles as though they're equals…"

Oscar scowled. "B-Rabbit, I think we've made it clear so far that you're not any less in our eyes because of something you can't help." he sent a sideways glance in Gil's direction. "And besides, I think Gilbert understands greatly what you're feeling, but he's wise enough to understand that if I say it's alright, then it's alright!"

B-Rabbit flinched, his cheeks nearly as red as Gil's as he slowly pulled back his chair and sat down. Upon Gil's quiet request, he allowed the illusion of his rabbit ears to appear again.

"Did you find anything today, Uncle?" Ada wondered, taking a sip of her soup.

Oscar smiled, swirling his wine glass absently. "We finally found something that might help us find him!" He turned to Gil and B-Rabbit. "And we wouldn't have been able to do it without—"

The door burst open and a scowling Zai Vessalius strode into the room. "Ada! There—" His gaze locked onto B-Rabbit.

The chain's ears vanished immediately. Zai lunged forward, grabbing B-Rabbit by the hair and jerking him backward. The boy struggled to stand as he was dragged out of his chair and slammed against the wall. Gil and Oscar instinctively stood, Gilbert moving slightly to block Ada's view of the scene.

"What the _hell_ are you doing in this house!" Zai's tone was murderous. When B-Rabbit only shrunk into himself and sobbed a refrain of apologies, the blond lifted the fist that was tangled in the chain's hair, forcing his head back.

" _I asked you a question."_

B-Rabbit's eyes were wide, tears dripping down his cheeks and curling around his chin. "I'm sorry! Please, Lord Vessalius, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I never meant to—"

"I brought him in to serve as my valet." Oscar's voice was hard.

"How _dare_ you!" Zai snarled, and Gilbert wasn't sure if he was addressing his brother or the chain.

"He hasn't done anything other than be helpful so far, I have no reason not to trust—"

"It's a murderer! Why would you let this demon into my house?"

Oscar scowled, moving toward his brother. "Zai, that was over a hundred years ago,"

Zai whirled then, startling Gilbert with the madness in his eyes. "It killed my wife!" his voice dropped to a deadly whisper. " _And yours."_ Oscar froze. Gil stared at the two nobles in mute horror.

"Isn't that right, _Jack?"_ Zai leaned close to B-Rabbit, the fingers of one hand locking around his throat. B-Rabbit let out a strangled sob.

"I didn't—"

Zai pushed harder, and B-Rabbit choked. Finally managing to regain his composure, Oscar darted forward and grabbed his brother's arms, dragging him off of B-Rabbit. The chain slid down the wall with a gasp, burying his face in his hands and letting out a low wail.

Shoving Oscar off, Zai sent his brother a fierce scowl. "Fine. Let it kill you while you sleep! See if I care! But keep that _demon_ away from my _daughter_." He snatched Ada's hand and pulled her from the room.

Gil hurried to Oscar's side as the duke crouched beside B-Rabbit. "Hey, it's alright, we're right here," He reached out to touch B-Rabbit's shoulder, but the chain jerked back, smacking his head against the wall in his haste to escape.

"Don't touch me!" He still refused to raise his head. Exchanging an anxious glance with Oscar, Gil tentatively brushed his fingers over the chain's wrist. "Don't _touch_ me!" His voice was hoarse.

"Just let me see," said Gil gently, pulling B-Rabbit's arms away from his face. The chain resisted, but Gil remained steadfast, finally getting a clear enough view of B-Rabbit's throat to make out the faint ring of bruises beginning to form. He bit his lip.

Sensing the chain's distress, Oscar reached forward and tenderly brought his hands to B-Rabbit's tearstained cheeks. "Please don't talk too much, alright? You should rest your voice." He paused, his grip suddenly trembling and uncertain. "Did...did you _really_ kill my family and my brother's wife?"

B-Rabbit tried again to pull away, his eyes wide as more tears welled up and began to trail down his cheeks. "I-I don't…" He shook his head, letting out a miserable sob. " _I don't_ _know!"_ Burying his face in his hands, the chain whimpered, "I don't _think_ so, but I can't remember that time clearly…" He trailed off into a fit of coughing.

Gil leaned in and stroked a slow hand over the chain's back. "Don't push yourself,"

Oscar closed his eyes and took in a long, slow breath. "Why did Zai call you Jack? Is that your real name?"

B-Rabbit's head shot up. He looked appalled. "J-Jack was the name of my contractor...at...that time…"

Sighing softly, Oscar stood, holding out a hand to help the chain to his feet. B-Rabbit's legs were shaking. Gil pressed the chain to his side to steady him.

"Could you please help B-Rabbit back to his room, Gil?" Oscar sounded weary. Gil gave the chain's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

* * *

Opening his eyes into the darkness of nighttime, Gilbert sat up slowly, wondering what had woken him.

There was a faint breeze outside, and Oz's curtains rustled as air breathed in through slightly open window.

Sighing slightly, Gil rolled over and buried his face in Oz's blankets, wrapping himself in the faint scent of his master and attempting to get back to sleep.

Then he heard it.

There was a faint sound on the other side of the door that connected him to B-Rabbit's room. A faint...whimpering. Gil quickly pushed himself from the bed and hurried to the door, opening it a crack.

B-Rabbit was curled against the side of the bed, a small blanket wrapped around his shoulders as he stifled a sob, pressing his fingers to his mouth.

Gasping, Gil hurried to his side. "Are you okay?"

B-Rabbit pushed his face farther into his hands, and Gilbert was struck with a sudden memory.

" _Hey, Gil, why are you crying?"_

" _I-I had a dream that Master hated me….that I was useless to Master and you wanted me to leave!"_

 _Oz leaned in, cheeks puffed into a pout as he flicked Gil's forehead. "Silly Gil! That would never happen!"_

 _Gil recoiled in surprise._

" _I'll always want you by my side, Gil…"_

Blinking back the faint sting of tears that pricked behind his eyes, Gil pulled the thin chain into his arms and helped him onto the bed. B-Rabbit let out a feeble wail of protest, but he was trembling too much to resist Gilbert's steady hands.

Gil tenderly wrapped the covers around the chain, giving his shoulders a soft squeeze and climbing in beside him. B-Rabbit let out a startled squeak, immediately attempting to back away. Gil only hugged him closer, pressing the quivering chain to his chest.

"M-Master, please! You shouldn't lower yourself to—"

"Sometimes, when one of us was feeling sad, Master Oz and I used to do this."

B-Rabbit went still.

"Once, I was really upset, and Oz couldn't get me to stop crying. Finally, he pulled me onto the bed and hugged me close like this." Gil smiled sadly. "He said, 'Listen Gil, right now, there are no titles, no Master and Servant, just us. Just Oz and Gil.'"

He leaned in, pressing his forehead to the chain's. "So, right now, there are no titles. No Master and Servant. No labels, no Human, no Chain, just us. Just Gil and B-Rabbit."

B-Rabbit's eyes were wide, shimmering with tears that slowly began to creep down his cheeks. He pressed a hand to his mouth, the other was trembling, fisted in Gil's shirt. His grip wasn't as firm as it should've been, and briefly Gilbert wondered it Zai had jarred the chain's injured wrist. He'd check it in the morning.

Letting out a soft breath, Gil closed his eyes, swallowing back his own tears. Tomorrow they would search again. They had a lead now. They would find Oz soon.


	5. Chapter Four

**A/N: Ah, sorry about the wait, this was a** ** _somewhat_** **important chapter, so I wanted to make sure the writing was good for y'all. Anyway, I hope it turned out alright and everyone enjoys it!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Don't own any of this, it's merely my thoughts as I go throughout my day translated into writing. Everything belongs to its original creators.**

* * *

"Gilbert, B-Rabbit, this is a colleague of mine from Pandora; Xerxes Break," Oscar smiled, gesturing to the man beside him.

Giving the boys an odd wave, Break turned to Oscar. "A chain? Is he contracted to your valet?" B-Rabbit flinched. Gil's hands clenched into fists.

Oscar blinked. "Ah, no, he's not contracted to anyone right now…"

Break tilted his head. "How strange…"

Gilbert had to bite his tongue to keep his retort back. He could feel how tense B-Rabbit was beside him.

Oscar cleared his throat. "So, was it difficult to trace the address?"

Sticking a lollipop into his mouth, Break gave a muffled chuckle. "Not really," He shrugged. "Our abilities at Pandora are advancing every day." He abruptly turned on his heel and marched off toward their waiting carriage.

Oscar laughed. "That's Break for you," He shook his head in wonder. "Always an interesting character."

Gil chewed his lip.

* * *

"Um…" Gil looked down shyly. He knew it wasn't his place to speak out of turn, but… "Where...exactly are we going?"

Pulling the lollipop from his mouth, Break leaned in, his face only inches from Gilbert's. The small servant yelped in surprise, attempting to scoot back but only succeeding in hitting his head on the seat.

"We..." Break gave his lollipop an exaggerated lick, "are going to Sablier."

Gil's eyes widened. "B-But...wasn't Sablier destroyed...over a hundred years ago?" B-Rabbit went stiff.

Break smiled, sitting back and eyeing them curiously. "Yes...by the Bloodstained Black Rabbit, if I remember correctly." His gaze slid lazily over B-Rabbit. The chain was pale.

Oscar leaned in and placed a warm hand on B-Rabbit's knee. "Hey, you don't have to talk about it, alright? What your past contractors made you do is none of our business, and we won't judge you for things you couldn't control." B-Rabbit nodded, but he looked like he might be sick.

Gil dropped his head miserably. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't've brought it up…" He wrung his hands in his lap.

"N-No...it wasn't your fault…" B-Rabbit swallowed. "I'm sorry...I just…" He shook his head, closing his eyes and leaning back into the seat. Gil hesitantly brushed his fingers over the chain's uninjured wrist, and when the hand opened he wove their fingers together and gave them a guilty squeeze.

* * *

The carriage pulled to a stop outside a large manor on the outskirts of the city. The house was in ruin, plants coating the walls and climbing through windows. The side of the house facing the city had completely caved in, cracked pillars covered with moss and beginning to erode after a century of weathering. Gil swallowed. There was a dark air about this place…

Break lead the way, swinging his cane absently. His demeanor was unsettling. Gil sent a glance in B-Rabbit's direction. The chain had not allowed him to release his hand, pulling Gil close to him as they walked. B-Rabbit's crimson eyes were narrowed, sharp and flashing in the half-light. His body was tense, and Gil could feel the agitated energy coiling inside him.

At last the long hall opened into what Gilbert assumed had once been a grand ballroom. Break stopped abruptly, his cane flashing out and barring Oscar's way as he attempted to move forward.

Faint sunlight was streaming in through the rotting ceiling, lightly illuminating the robed figures lounging in the shadows. Gil gasped, catching a glimpse of familiar white hair in the darkness.

"Zwei!"

A languid smile spread over her lips. She sent him a small wave. _If_ she _was here, did that mean…._

"Where's my nephew?" Oscar's booming cry echoed even louder in the empty space. A taller girl stepped forward, long pink hair framing sharp red eyes. B-Rabbit slipped in front of Gilbert.

The girl smiled, a wide, twisted smile, and one that Gil felt was _oh_ so wrong. He shivered. B-Rabbit gave his hand a tight squeeze. The girl's gaze flickered over the two of them with predatory interest, lingering on B-Rabbit for just a second longer than Gilbert would've liked.

"Oz Vessalius is dead."

Gil wasn't sure he heard correctly. That couldn't be right. There was no way….there was _no way_ that could be true...no way Oz could be—

"...What?"

Oscar sounded just as stunned as Gilbert felt. _That's right….Master Oscar will put an end to these ridiculous rumors!"_

The girl grinned, lifting a dagger from her thigh and running a finger over the smooth metal. "I killed him myself."

Gil couldn't breathe. That wasn't right. That wasn't right. That _couldn't_ be right! _No...no, no, no nononononononono—_

" _You're LYING!"_

He vaguely registered B-Rabbit's hands on his arms as he lunged forward, tears brimming in his eyes. The girl snapped her fingers. A large lion leapt to her side. Gilbert froze.

"Leon has the ability to project memories…"

And, before Gil's eyes, a translucent blond appeared, hands tied behind his back as he stood with the girl's fingers tangled in his hair.

"O-Oz…" Gil took a startled step back.

" _They still haven't come, boy."_

 _Oz's voice was hoarse, weak, "I told you they wouldn't…"_

 _The girl lifted his head by his hair, trailing her fingers over his throat and pressing her lips to his jaw. Oz breathed in sharply._

" _...Lottie…"_

 _The girl chuckled, releasing him and stepping back. She slid the small dagger from beneath her robe, twirling it absently with her fingers. "In another world...another_ story… _at your Coming-of-Age Ceremony, you took the ceremonial sword and slashed your sweet valet across the chest."_

 _Oz jerked like someone had hit him._

 _Lottie made a phantom motion from shoulder to hip, smiling widely. "It would only be fair, don'cha think?"_

Gilbert felt bile rising up in his throat.

 _Oz stared down at the floor, his breathing rasping and hollow in his chest. He was blinking rapidly. "I...He must've_ hated _me….I can't just….what about the Gil in this world?" A small, hitching sob escaped him. "He must hate me too...I deserve it...all of this is my fault, of course they wouldn't come…." He looked up, meeting Lottie's eyes._

Gil saw it. Gil saw the moment she started to move, dagger raised and aimed at Oz.

"N-N—"

He lunged forward, arms outstretched to take the blow, only to stumble through Oz's incorporeal body and whirl just in time to see the knife rip across his master's chest. Gilbert's heart stopped.

 _Oz crumpled with an audible thud. He lay still, glazed green eyes locked with Gil's horrified golden ones. Blood began to pool beneath him and dribble down his lips._ So much blood….

Gil's knees buckled without warning. He leaned forward, hands brushing through the memory as he tried desperately to pull the apparition into his arms. With a swift snap from Lottie, the illusion disintegrated, pieces of Oz shattering and floating into the air around Gil. He was suddenly aware of the hot tears dripping down into his lap. A wretched sob tore from his throat, piercing the stagnant air with his despair.

He had failed Oz so miserably, so horribly, that he could never hope to be forgiven. Oz was gone. Dead. _He died thinking I hated him..._ An anguished wail ripped from the boy's lips. _Dead. Dead. Dead. He's dead. Oz is_ dead. Gil screamed, fingers fisting in his hair, the image of his fallen master burned forever into his mind. He screamed, nails digging into his cheeks, clawing at his face, the sound of his best friend's sob ringing in his ears. He _screamed_ , choking and pressing his hands to his mouth to force back the bile that crawled up his throat at his own deadly failure.

At their promise of always, which he had broken.

And then there were thin arms around him, tentative hands that wove themselves into his hair and stroked his back, quivering lips that whispered words he was too numb to hear. He sank into B-Rabbit's chest, forcing muffled screams into the wrinkled fabric of his shirt. He screamed until there was no sound left in him, sobbed until his body gave out and he slumped weakly in the chain's arms, still gasping as his lungs tried to process why they needed air when Oz was _dead._

* * *

B-Rabbit glanced up, his eyes locking with Lottie's glittering scarlet ones. She grinned.

* * *

Gil watched the raindrops drip quietly along the windowsill. The window was open; he welcomed the faint chill pouring into the room. Damp air washed over his skin and numbed his body.

"You might catch a cold,"

There was a soft patter of footsteps on carpet. B-Rabbit stopped behind him. "I brought you some tea."

"Why Oz?" Gilbert's voice was soft. B-Rabbit placed the teacup on the windowsill, raising his head as Gil spoke. The raven didn't usually omit the honorific when referring to his master.

"What?"

'Why did Oz have to die?"

B-Rabbit blinked. "I—"

"Why _Oz?"_ His fingers curled into tight fists. "Oz didn't do anything! He was the kindest, bravest person that I've ever met! Why not _me? O-Or—"_

"Don't say that." B-Rabbit's voice was tight, hard. "No one is without flaws, Master Gilbert. Not even Oz. Remember that."

" _Oz didn't deserve to die!"_ Gil twisted his fingers into his hair, bowing his head to repress the shudder that rippled through his body.

"Oz had flaws just like everyone else!" B-Rabbit was shaking. "Master, you don't _know_ for sure, Oz Vessalius could've been a demon! A murderer!"

" _Stop…"_ Gilbert pleaded, his voice breaking.

"Maybe he deserved to die—"

" _I said_ stop!" Gil jerked from his seat, whirling on the chain and striking him hard across the face. B-Rabbit shrunk back immediately, crimson eyes wide and body trembling. Realizing with horror what he'd done, Gil stepped forward, eyes watering, an apology bubbling from his lips.

"Wait, I didn't mean—"

B-Rabbit backed away, a bright red mark beginning to bloom across his cheek. Gil tried to move toward him again, but this time, the chain spun on his heel and fled the room.

The raven stared after him for a moment, before sitting down heavily in his chair and burying his face in his hands. Why was he still here, when beautiful, amazing _Oz_ was dead? All Gilbert ever did was destroy others.

He moaned into his hands, shaking his head and trying to suppress a breathy sob.

The rain continued to fall.

* * *

"Gil."

The boy didn't move, even when Oscar's fingers brushed lightly over his shoulders. The rain was slowing, but its pace was still constant, soft and cold and numbing to Gilbert's raging emotions.

"Gil, have you been sitting here all afternoon? You missed dinner," Oscar knelt beside him, eyeing the untouched tea and open window. He frowned. "You're going to get sick!"

When Gil still did not respond, Oscar sighed, rubbing a weary hand over his eyes and blinking away the sticky wetness that still lingered there. He wasn't sure if it would help Gilbert to see his tears. "Gil, I know how much you cared about Oz, but I'm _positive_ he wouldn't want to see you beating yourself up over things. We're all a bit to blame here, so come on, get some warmer clothes on...we can all talk about this, all right?"

"It doesn't _matter_ what he would've wanted!" The boy's sudden jerk startled Oscar. "He's not _here!"_ Gil's fist slammed against the chilled windowsill. " _There's no point anymore! Everything could've been avoided if I just hadn't been so_ stupid!"

"That's enough," said Oscar sharply. "We all have to bear this burden together. Ada and I feel the same as you about all this, Gilbert. You aren't alone, so stop acting like you need to face this by yourself!"

The raven flinched, remembering Ada's face as she'd run up to them just _certain_ they had to have news this time, the despair that had sunken onto her features when Oscar told her the truth; that her big brother was never coming home. She hadn't believed them at first, positive her uncle was lying and demanding that Gilbert set the facts straight. But at his numb silence, she had finally dissolved into tears and crumpled into Oscar's arms.

Gil had failed her. He'd failed all of them, promising to keep Oz safe only to allow his kidnapping and eventual death. _And such a gruesome way to die..._ He shuddered, stomach churning at the memory, the sight of the blood pouring from the jagged tear in his master's chest flashing before his eyes and making his head spin.

"Master Oscar...please...just...leave me alone…" Gil breathed, curling into himself in the chair and inhaling through his mouth to dispel the sudden nausea. The cool air was a godsend.

The duke sighed, his eyes tightening sadly as he gazed upon the small valet. Rubbing a warm hand over Gilbert's shoulder once more, he pulled a thin blanket around the boy's shoulders and closed the window slightly. Oscar glanced at the teacup once more.

"Alright, but you should at least try to talk to B-Rabbit, okay? He seemed...odd...earlier, I can't really explain it but...I'm not sure, he was just acting a little off. I'd feel better if you checked on him…" He ran a hand through his hair. "He wants to help, Gil, he really cares about you. And with all that he's been through, he's probably a good person to ask for advice about dealing with difficult things…"

"...I...understand, Master Oscar," Gil mumbled into his knees. The duke chuckled shakily.

"And of course, you can talk to me anytime, Gil…"

When the raven fell silent again, Oscar took a deep breath, squeezed one of the boy's shoulders, and slipped from the room.

Gilbert watched the small fog of condensation curling around the teacup, listening to the quiet patter of rain against the earth.

* * *

Gil woke to find himself tangled in Oz's sheets, the scent of his master so faint now that he had to press them to his face to catch it. His eyes watered. Thunder cracked in the distance.

The window was closed now, rain still tapping against the outside of the glass. In the thin light, he could barely make out the shadow of a small teacup that had been placed beside the bed. The other cup had vanished from the windowsill.

Gil swallowed, unsurprised at the rough pain in his throat that the action brought. He sighed softly, reaching for the tea. They _had_ warned him, after all. He was startled when his fingers brushed the warm cup, blinking down into the shadowy liquid and wondering how long it had been waiting for him. _Not long, if it's still this warm._

He took a small sip, pondering. The heat soothed his raw throat, but he vaguely considered letting it go to waste. A small cold wasn't nearly enough to pay for his failure. _But...if B-Rabbit went through the trouble to make it…._ He sighed, hot guilt flashing through him at the thought of his actions toward the chain. _I should apologize..._ Maybe B-Rabbit would still be awake, he couldn't have gone to sleep too long ago.

Gilbert stood slowly, just in case the chain _had_ gone to bed, crept across the room, and cracked the adjoining door open.

He could just make out the figure in the darkness, B-Rabbit silhouetted slightly against the night sky as he stood up on the windowsill, window wide open and allowing soft rain to drizzle in. At first, Gilbert didn't comprehend, stepping further into the room without a sound as he watched the chain in curiosity, but when B-Rabbit spread his arms, the reality crashed down upon him with another roll of midnight thunder.

Lunging forward, Gil's fingers locked around one of the chain's wrists, jerking him back, off the windowsill before he even had a chance to take a step. B-Rabbit yelped. They crashed to the ground in a crumpled heap, Gil immediately scrambling back to grip the chain's shoulders.

"What were you doing?" he gasped, still panting from the scare.

B-Rabbit blinked at him. "I-I was just…" There was a sheen of mist on his face from the rain.

Gil couldn't breathe. If B-Rabbit had left him too…. "I'm... _so_ sorry about earlier!" he managed, blinking furiously to hide his tears. "I didn't mean to hurt you, or to be rude! I really care about you, and appreciate your presence, _please_ don't…"

The chain watched him cry in stunned silence. One hand was fisted in his shirt. Rubbing the tears from his eyes, Gilbert's gaze locked onto the thin trail of blood curling down his wrist.

"Y-You're bleeding!"

"A-Ah! It's fine, I only cut my hand on the edge of the sill!"

Gil pried the fist loose anyway, squinting to get a better look at the gash in the darkness. This was all his fault. How could he ever be sure the chain would give his honest word and not attempt something like this again? As he stared down at the blood, something Oscar had once said floated to the front of his mind.

" _When the bond becomes too deep, chain and contractor begin to feel each other's pain."_

Gil took a deep breath. If the chain thought Gil would get hurt…

"B-Rabbit, please make a contract with me."

The chain gasped, wrenching his hand away. "N-No—"

Gil caught it again, pressing his lips to the cut and allowing the coppery blood to touch his tongue. B-Rabbit let out a desperate wail, pulling his hand away again and staring at Gilbert in horror.

Both boys waited, but nothing seemed to be happening. Gil frowned. B-Rabbit let out a breath of relief, visibly sagging against the wall.

"Why didn't it work?"

B-Rabbit only shook his head, still breathing heavily.

"Master Oscar told me all you had to do was say a chain's name and drink their blood...I don't understand…"

B-Rabbit blinked suddenly, a thought seeming to occur to him. He smiled slightly. Gil's frown intensified.

"Master Gil, I promise not to be so reckless again, but only if you promise not to try to contract a chain again. I won't save my own life only for you to die foolishly."

Gil twisted his fingers anxiously in his lap. Could he really rely on that promise? "...All right," he sighed at last, "but only if you stay true to your word as well…"

And then the chain's arms were around him, pulling him close and squeezing him tenderly. "I will. And I understand your intentions, thank you for the kindness you've given me, I can't even begin to express how much I appreciate it…"

Gil stared over B-Rabbit's shoulder, startled by the warm tears that had begun to trickle down the back of his neck. His own eyes watered again, and he pressed his face into the chain's shirt to muffle his quiet, bittersweet whimper.

He had failed Oz, but Gilbert vowed never to fail the kind chain again.

He was puzzled to suddenly feel trembling fingers sliding along the chain around his neck, pulling the small locket from beneath his shirt.

"What—"

"Open it, Master Gilbert. It's the only piece of him you have left…" B-Rabbit murmured wetly.

Gazing down at the silvery metal, Gil realized it was true. If there _was_ anything inside, it would be the last bit of his master that he would ever get. Nodding slightly, he began to pry the necklace open, struggling to be gentle; the latch hadn't been used in months. B-Rabbit stood and lit a candle to place beside them on the floor. The silver looked somewhat eerie in the flickering light.

Swallowing, he finally managed to swing the top section away. Gilbert gasped. Inside, there was a small picture, Gil's own face staring back out at him as he smiled awkwardly at the camera. Oz had stolen Oscar's camera, forcing Gil to pose for a picture before he returned it, as a show of their victory. The rest of the pictures to be taken on it were going to be Uncle Oscar's pictures, he had told Gil. The raven had always been suspicious of that statement.

Fingers quivering, Gilbert slipped the picture from its frame, surprised to find Oz's handwriting elegantly curling in one of the top corners. He moved the picture closer to the candle, eyes watering as he realized what it said.

 _My best friend._

His breath hitched. Flipping the photo over again, he watched the firelight cast pulsing shadows over his image. _Best friend. Oz's best friend._ He pressed a hand to his mouth, dropping the photo into his lap and holding back the sobbing gasp that threatened to escape him.

 _Oz cared enough to consider_ me _his best friend….and all I did was fail him._ Oz's expression when Lottie had accused him of hurting Gilbert flashed through his mind. He'd looked like he was going to be sick, horror and pain twisting his features from the smiling Oz Gil had been determined to create. _Best friend….You were my best friend too, Oz. I'm_ so _sorry._ A few wayward tears curled under his chin and dripped down onto his legs.

 _If only I had told you. If only I'd gotten the chance._


	6. Chapter Five: Part One

**A/N: Hey everyone, split chapter for today, and I'm posting it a little earlier that usual as well since I've been pretty busy lately. Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own, everything belongs to who it's supposed to belong to**

* * *

B-Rabbit smiled softly to himself, his gaze flickering over Gilbert as he slept. The raven was curled up between the large pillows, the small locket clutched close to his chest. B-Rabbit tucked the blanket further around his master's shoulders, his smile slipping slightly as he drew close enough to study the deep circles beneath Gil's eyes, a testament to his recent sleepless nights.

Swallowing down his guilt, the chain slipped from the room, passing Oscar in the hall and ducking to avoid eye contact. Making his way to one of the western sitting rooms, he tiptoed out onto the balcony and settled himself against the railing, watching the first streaks of sunlight creep across the sky.

"Beautiful, huh?"

B-Rabbit started, flinching at the heavy hand that fell onto his shoulder.

Oscar sighed. "I just wish Oz could've seen this."

The chain looked away. "I'm sorry."

Smiling kindly, Oscar gave the chain's shoulder another gentle pat. "Don't be, there's nothing you could've done. Your presence here is something that really seems to help Gil a lot, I can't express how grateful I am for that." He glanced at the lightening sky again. "I regret not telling Oz this when I still had the chance, but, Gil, Ada, and myself, we would've accepted him no matter what. No matter what he did, no matter what he may have said, or become, we would've loved him and cared for him. No matter what."

B-Rabbit glanced at the duke, his shimmering eyes meeting the warm green ones with surprise. Oscar ran a hand through the chain's hair, turning to leave with another soft smile.

The sun was almost completely above the horizon by now, beautiful shades of purple and gold curling through the sky and dying the clouds a deep mauve. B-Rabbit's vision blurred, muddling the colors. He blinked furiously.

He'd been meaning to tell Gil the truth the other night. B-Rabbit would die, and he'd woven a story where Oz would come back to life through the chain's sacrifice. But Gil's panic had made him wonder if maybe the raven would, in time, forget Oz. Maybe B-Rabbit would be enough, and Gil could live without his troublesome master always teasing him and getting him into trouble.

Either way, regardless of what Oscar said, no one could ever know the truth about Oz Vessalius. No one.

 _No matter what…_

* * *

The kitchen was empty at such an early hour, and B-Rabbit decided he had at least enough time to make a small breakfast for Gilbert before the rest of the servants started to wake up.

These past few nights, the chain had found himself unable to get a good rest now matter how hard he tried. Either he was restless, and simply couldn't get to sleep, or he was plagued with nightmares.

B-Rabbit shivered, piling the eggs onto a small plate and filling a glass with water. He tried to take a few of the back hallways on his way to Gil's room, hoping to avoid meeting anyone else. Truth be told, he was exhausted.

The raven was just beginning to stir when B-Rabbit opened the door. He sighed. Gil had been waking up earlier and earlier each morning, unable to sleep properly either. He'd hoped a warm plate of eggs might cheer the boy up.

Golden eyes blinked blearily up at B-Rabbit as he moved to his master's side. "What's that?"

The chain looked away. "I made you breakfast…" He bit his lip. What if Gil didn't like it? His old master had gotten angry once when he'd tried it, what if he upset Gil?

Gil stared at him. "You...didn't have to do that…" He frowned slightly, seeming to pick up on the chain's growing anxiety. "Er, I mean, t-thank you! I really appreciate the trouble you went to for me…"

B-Rabbit watched quietly as Gilbert took the first bite, his tense posture relaxing a bit at the content expression that crossed the boy's face at the taste.

"This is really good, thank you," Gil smiled, but it was a tired smile. He fingered the locket around his neck.

B-Rabbit looked away. If only he hadn't been so _stupid,_ then none of this would have ever happened. Gil would still be happy. And now, everything had spiralled so far out of control that he wasn't sure how to fix it anymore.

"Um, maybe if you're feeling up to it...we could...go for a walk or something?"

The raven blinked slowly, glancing down at his hands and tapping his fork against the plate in thought. He smiled softly. "It's a beautiful day, I think that sounds nice…"

* * *

The weather was cooling, the first faint breeze of autumn stirring the air. The courtyard garden was empty.

B-Rabbit smiled slightly, closing his eyes and embracing the cold air on his cheeks. Everything felt refreshed.

"Hey, B-Rabbit?"

"Mm?"

"I'm sorry...I feel like I haven't been paying attention to you lately…"

The chain turned to his master in surprise. "What? I don't think that at all! You're doing the best you can…"

Gil stopped walking, watching a crisp orange leaf skitter across the path. "I promised myself that I would be there for you when you needed me, but no matter how hard I try...I just can't seem to think about anything but Oz…"

Hot guilt flooded him. "Master…"

The raven shook his head, closing his eyes and letting the breeze tug at his hair. "I don't think I'll ever forget the look on his face…"

Before B-Rabbit could answer, there was a wail from the other end ot the courtyard.

"Leave me alone!"

The boys exchanged a glance. That sounded like Ada.

B-Rabbit ducked behind one of the bushes, creeping along behind Gil as he hurried over to the little blonde. Zai Vessalius stood over her, frowning deeply. His expression darkened at the sight of Gil.

"You! How _dare_ you tell my daughter about that stupid thing's death!"

Gil grit his teeth. B-Rabbit swallowed. This was rubbing the old wound open again…

"How dare _you_ be so insensitive to her grief! It's your fault he died, if you had only brought the money….Master Oz was her brother!"

Zai's glare was murderous. He lunged forward, palm raised to strike Gil across the face, but Ada gripped his coat from behind.

"Father, please!" Her wide eyes filled with tears. "He's hurting too, please don't take out your anger on him!"

Zai ignored her, pulling his arm back again to slap the raven, but his palm met B-Rabbit's cheek instead. The noble stepped back in surprise.

"You? You're still here?"

B-Rabbit bowed his head. "Lord Vessalius, if you're angry, please take it out on me instead. I'm the root of your problems, don't hurt innocent people for slights that I've helped to make against you…" He chewed his lip anxiously. Hopefully Gil was with it enough to take Ada back inside.

Zai clicked his tongue. "Oh, always the honorable one, willing to sacrifice himself for the sake of others." He leaned in close, spit splashing across B-Rabbit's nose. "You make me _sick."_

He turned, snatching Ada's hand and pulling her out of the garden. Gil hurried to the chain's side. "Are you alright?"

B-Rabbit laughed shakily, sitting back against the trunk of a thin tree to hide his quivering legs. "O-Of course...I should be asking you that, Master. He was callous."

Gil shook his head, gazing down at the grass as it waved in the breeze. "It's okay, I'm….glad to know that he doesn't scare me anymore, I think." He slid down next to the chain.

B-Rabbit sighed. "I'm sorry this walk didn't help…"

"N-No, it's nice out here, we can't let our morning be ruined by a cruel man's words…" His voice trembled, fists clenching and unclenching in his lap.

B-Rabbit watched him sadly out of the corner of his eye.

 _I'm so sorry._


	7. Chapter Five: Part Two

**A/N: Here's part two! This is how far I've gotten in my planning of this story, so the next chapter might take a little longer, sorry. Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original owners**

* * *

Gil closed the library door quietly. It was well past midnight, and despite telling B-Rabbit he was headed to bed, Gil had found himself unable to get to sleep. There had been an old history book open on one of the tables, flipped to a page about chains. Gil took a deep breath, his fingers lingering on the doorknob just a little too long.

 _A way to change the past…_

He swallowed hard.

"—told you to get that chain out of my house. Now the Baskervilles are coming for it."

Gil paused in front of the door to Oscar's study. _Baskervilles?_

"What? Did you tell them he was here?" Oscar's voice was low and dangerous.

"It needed to be taken care of."

"Zai! B-Rabbit is the only thing keeping Gil content right now!" Oscar took a deep breath. "I've tried to be there for him, but only B-Rabbit can bring him out of this pain. Do you even _care_ about the people you affected when you refused to save your own son's life?"

"That _creature_ is not my son!"

Gil's fists clenched. There was a harsh sound of flesh on flesh, and Gilbert flinched at the realization that Oscar must've struck his brother.

" _How dare you_ talk about Oz like that!"

"Why do you care for a demon?" Gil blinked at the sudden change of topics.

"Why do you hate B-Rabbit so much?"

There was a sudden loud crash from downstairs, like an explosion of some sort. Zai chuckled.

"They're here."

Gil gasped. He didn't know what Baskervilles were, but if they were after B-Rabbit...He spun on his heel and raced off toward the chain's room. The study door slammed open and Oscar hurried out after him.

"Gil? Why are you still up?"

The raven ignored him, stumbling slightly as the ground shook with the force of another bang. The dark stench of smoke colored the air. Gil pushed himself to run faster, able to make out the form of B-Rabbit staggering into the hall.

"Master?"

Gil grabbed the chain's wrist, pulling him toward the stairs. "We have to get out of here!"

"What's going on?"

Shaking his head, Gil slammed his shoulder into the one of the courtyard doors, dragging B-Rabbit out into the garden. There was a distant rumble of thunder, faint sunlight just beginning to crawl across the sky. "I'm not sure, all I know is that we're being attacked by—"

"—Baskervilles!"

There, before them, stood four figures draped in crimson robes. Gil froze. B-Rabbit pushed the raven behind him as one stepped forward, pulling off her hood to reveal the long pink hair of Lottie Baskerville.

"What?" Gasped Gil, " _You're_ the Baskervilles?" His fists clenched. "What do you want with B-Rabbit?"

Zwei removed her hood as well, baring her teeth at him in a feral grin. "We've come to take Oz Vessalius to the Abyss. Be a dear and get out of our way."

B-Rabbit went rigid.

"O-Oz is dead! You killed him!" Gil's heart was pounding.

"B-Rabbit! Gil!" Oscar hurried to their side, brandishing the small handgun Gilbert had never gotten the chance to see him use. He stared at the duke.

"Master Oscar...they...want _Oz…"_

Oscar blinked down at him in confusion. "What?"

Lottie's gaze flickered over to B-Rabbit. "You _still_ didn't tell them?" She smiled. "And here I really thought you were _friends_ …"

B-Rabbit's face was ashen. Lottie turned to Gil with a wicked smile. "This chain has known the truth about your master all along...and he kept it from you, content to watch you suffer—"

"Shut _up!"_ B-Rabbit lunged forward, a huge scythe materializing in his hands as he flung himself at Lottie.

"Leon!"

The lion's claws met the scythe with a fierce clang. The other three Baskervilles sprung into action, chains appearing in the garden in bright flashes of light. Cursing, Oscar moved in front of Gil.

"Stay here! We'll take care of this!"

Gil was too stunned to move, a strange cold feeling creeping through his blood like liquid ice. _The_ truth _about Oz?_

B-Rabbit yelped, caught from behind by a giggling Zwei. His scythe mowed through the tallest Baskerville's chain as it attempted to tear into him while he was held down. Oscar was shooting frantically at the other hooded Baskerville, but when he caught sight of B-Rabbit struggling against Zwei's grasp he switched targets and managed to hit her shoulder. She stumbled, and B-Rabbit twisted away from her.

Gil had been so busy watching the battle that he was completely caught off guard when Lottie's chain appeared beside him, claws flashing and managing to slash his forearm. He gasped, not expecting the sudden hot sting as they ripped through his skin. The chain moved to strike again, but this time B-Rabbit darted in front of Gil, deflecting the attack with his scythe.

"Go inside!" The chain hissed, weariness bleeding into his voice. He wasn't used to exerting his powers anymore.

Gil bit his lip, deciding to at least move away from the action a bit, but one of the hooded Baskervilles caught the motion, and Gil was forced to duck away from a shower of spikes from the giant porcupine like creature. As he scrambled to reach the other side of the courtyard, his foot twisted in a dip in the dirt, sending him sprawling to the ground with a grunt.

Gasping, he rolled onto his back just in time to see the second spray of spines shooting toward him.

"GIL!"

There was a flash of dark hair, and Gil found himself staring up into a pair of wide red eyes. B-Rabbit made a strangled sound. Gil's gaze travelled down to stare in horror at the spike protruding from the chain's stomach.

"What…"

B-Rabbit smiled, his lips quivering, eyes glazed with a faint sheen of tears. "G-Gil...I'm...so sorry—" his breath hitched, "—I-I should've...told you...but I…I was scared of what...you would t-think of me…" He suppressed a small sob, breath ragged and shallow.

As the first drops of rain began to trickle down, Gilbert watched the color melt from B-Rabbit's hair, dripping onto his cheeks and mixing with blood and tears and rain. B-Rabbit smiled sadly, blood pooling around his teeth, running over his lips, down his chin. Crimson eyes faded to dull, wet green. Gil stared up into the face of Oz Vessalius.

" _I'm_ Oz."

Gil couldn't breathe.

Oz was B-Rabbit. B-Rabbit was _Oz._ The chain's blood splashed down onto his cheek.

 _Oz is a chain._

 _Oz is_ alive.

He remembered the thin, trembling boy with silky rabbit ears, who had panic attacks and was kept awake each night with violent nightmares.

He remembered the scars that marred his chest, the bruises, the burns.

 _That was_ Oz _._

 _It had been Oz all along._

He thought he might be sick.

Dirty, ashy blond hair filled his vision for a moment as Oz tilted sideways, collapsing onto the wet ground with a thud.

Gil stared at his limp form in horror.

Oz drew in a ragged breath, and it was as if the sound unfroze his trembling body. Gil jerked forward, pulling the boy into his lap and holding him close to keep out the cold. A part of him wanted to rip the offending spike from his master's stomach, but the small bit of rationality still hovering in the back of his mind warned against it.

"MASTER OSCAR!" His voice cracked. The duke raced to their side, eyes widening as he understood the situation. He called for the servants to bring a doctor, eyeing the Baskervilles warily.

"Hold on Gil, help's coming. Keep him awake, I'll make sure none of them can get to you."

Nodding, the raven shook Oz's shoulders gently, curling his own body over the chain to keep him out of the rain. "It's gonna be okay...I-I promise…" He bit down hard on his lip to hold in a sob.

Watery green eyes gazed up at him, unfocused. "Gil…"

"I-I'm right here..."

Oz's pants were soft and shallow. "I'm sorry…" The words were barely a breath. His features crumpled, slow tears sliding down his cheeks. "...I-I'm _so_ sorry—"

"Don't waste your breath," Gil whispered, blinking furiously. "I'm not mad at you...I...I never was…"

"But I _knew_ I c-could help...and I just….watched you suffer…"

Gil hugged him tighter, frightened by how cold the chain's body felt against his skin. "I already told you...no matter what...you're my precious Young Master...my...precious best friend…"

Oz shook his head weakly, tears flooding his eyes once more. He was silent for a moment, the only sound his ragged breathing in the misty morning air. Gil held back a small whimper.

"G-Gil...I.." Oz's chilled fingers clasped around one of the Gilbert's hands, clinging tightly to the warm skin. "...I'm sorry…I...don't deserve t-that title…"

"S-Stop.." Gil gripped the blond's fingers back, rubbing gently along his palm to keep the blood flowing.

"'Jus' a chain…" Oz mumbled, his eyes glazed, head lolling limply into Gil's lap. His fingers fell slack in Gil's grip. The raven shook his head, eyes widening as he squeezed Oz's hand tighter, receiving no response from the blond.

"N-No—"

Gil twisted his fingers down to the chain's wrist, feeling desperately for a pulse. There was nothing. Dull green eyes watched him lifelessly.

"No…no….no, no, _no_...Oz, you _can't—"_

" _Master Oscar told me all you had to do was say a chain's name and drink their blood...I don't understand…"_

 _B-Rabbit smiled slightly._

" _B-Rabbit, make a contract with me."_

Gil sucked in a sharp breath, pressing Oz's cold fingers to his lips and closing his eyes.

"Make a contract with me, Oz!"

Oz's body jerked, inhaling suddenly. Gil's eyes shot open, staring down in shock at the wide red eyes gazing into his own. Immediately, white-hot pain flooded his veins, burning and twisting into his blood like fire.

Gil screamed, fingers digging into Oz's ribs as he struggled to stay conscious in the flow of agony. He was faintly aware of Oscar gripping his shoulders and dragging him back, away from Oz's body. The pain ebbed slowly, the world still blurred from his tears as he leaned back, gasping, into the duke's arms.

Oz was still once more, but this time, Gil could feel the other's heartbeat pulsing faintly alongside his own.

There was a strange numbness in his blood, a mix of ice and fire that settled into a deep warmth that seemed to hold him close and pressed away his concerns with a feeling that was distinctly _Oz._


	8. Chapter Six

**A/N: Alright, sorry if there was a wait, I had to do a lot of research for this chapter so that if anything's wrong it's out of choice and not ignorance :) I also think I have a good plan for how the rest of this story is going to go now, so that's good at least...Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its rightful owners.**

* * *

Warm sunlight filtered in through the curtains, streaking softly across Oz's serene face, his hair splayed across the pillow like a golden halo. Gil smiled sadly, brushing some of the strands from his master's forehead and allowing his fingers to twist through the tangles. Oz hadn't woken since Gil had made the contract early that morning, and the raven couldn't quite manage to quell his worry.

What if something had gone wrong?

And, if he were entirely honest, Gilbert was fairly certain something _had_ , since Oscar had been perplexed to find that his seal didn't have a hand.

Biting his lip anxiously, he leaned in again to trail his fingers through Oz's hair, only to let out a startled squeak at the dull green eyes staring back at him. Heat rushed to his cheeks.

"A-Ah...how are you feeling?"

Oz blinked at him, slight confusion coloring his features as he processed the question. "I'm fine…"

Gil smiled, standing and turning to leave. "I should tell Master Oscar you've woken up—"

A small hand locked around his wrist. Oz frowned up at him, still appearing somewhat dazed, and said, in a tone that made Gil's heart _ache,_ "Please stay...don't... _please_ don't leave me alone…"

His heart swelled with affection for the small blond. "I...Alright, but just let me tell the servants to call—"

Oz jerked Gilbert toward him, causing the raven to stumble forward onto the bed with a yelp.

"Y-Young Master!"

Oz refused to release his wrist. Sighing softly, Gil tentatively crawled over the skinny chain to lay beside him. Immediately, Oz curled up to his chest, gripping the front of his shirt with trembling fingers.

"...Please...don't leave…."

Gil stared down at him in surprise. "Young Master…" But Oz was already drifting back to sleep. Gilbert blinked away the tears that threatened to creep down his cheeks.

He pulled the boy close, remembering the days when Oz had done the same for him, keeping Gil safe in his arms while thunder raged outside. He pressed his lips to Oz's forehead, smiling slightly at the way the blond nestled closer instinctively at the touch.

 _I won't leave you Oz, I promise._

* * *

Gil shot awake to the feeling of being frantically shaken.

"What? What's—" He blinked at the wide green eyes that were suddenly very close to his own. "A-Ah…"

Oz grabbed his shoulders with a force Gilbert hadn't been expecting, his gaze alert with panic. "Gil, please tell me you didn't—" He broke off gasping, nearly hyperventilating, eyes wet with tears. "Please, _please_ tell me you _didn't…"_

"W-What?"

"The seal!" Oz gasped, pushing Gil back and forcing his shirt upward. The raven cried out in surprise, smacking his head painfully against the bedframe.

Taking in a horrified breath, Oz sat back, but he was too close to the edge of the bed and toppled backward with a squeak.

"O-Oz!"

Gil shot forward, one arm extended to catch his master's hand, but he was too late, and Oz hit the floor with a hollow thud. The blond lay still, staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes. The only sound was Oz's quiet panting. Gil was startled at the slow tears that began to trail along his master's cheeks.

Oz's fingers latched into his hair, a sob slipping from his lips despite his attempts to suppress it. He rolled onto his side, curling in on himself and burying his face in his hands. " _No_...Gil you _promised…."_

Slipping off the bed, Gilbert knelt beside his master. He ran a hesitant hand through the soft blond hair, brushing his fingers over Oz's and gently prying them open. "I won't lose you again, I can't…you have to understand…"

" _You're such an idiot!"_ Oz's cry was soft, muffled by the floor as he turned his face away from Gil.

The door opened and Oscar slipped in before Gil had a chance to answer. He stopped, surprise coloring his features for a moment at the sight of Oz on the floor, Gilbert kneeling over him.

"Are you alright?" He hurried to crouch beside them. Oz tried to push himself to his feet at the arrival of his uncle—his embarrassment so tangible Gil could almost taste it—but almost immediately he doubled over with a gasp. Oscar and Gil hurried to catch him before he hit the ground again.

The duke sighed. "Oz, you almost died, please don't push yourself." He wrapped an arm around the blond's shoulders and lifted him back into bed.

Oz shook his head, burying his face in the pillow and pulling his knees up to his chest. "I _should've_ died."

Gil's fists clenched. He exchanged a look with Oscar, and, at the duke's nod, slipped onto the bed beside his master. Oscar sat beside Oz's legs and fixed his nephew with a sad smile.

"I don't think you'll ever understand how much it hurts those who love you when you devalue your own life in such a way…" said the duke quietly. "You, and Gil, and Ada, you're...the most important people in the world to me. The three of you saved me when I lost my family, I'm not sure what I would've done without you….those months you were missing…" Oscar's voice held the slightest of tremors. "...Oz, I thought I would never see you again...It means so much just to have you here with us…" He leaned in, folding the chain gently into his arms.

Gil did the same, pressing Oz between them and feeling the chain stiffen. "Why does it matter if you're a chain?" He breathed the words into Oz's hair. "We've known you all this time, we've cared about you Master, _loved_ you, all this time. You've _always_ been a chain, that hasn't changed, so why would our love?"

"I…" Oz was trembling, face pressed into Oscar's shoulder to muffle his quiet cries. "...But I'm not…" He broke off, shaking his head slightly and trying to shrink from their embrace. Gil held him closer.

"It doesn't matter who you are or what you've done, you're my Master and that's all that matters!"

Oz breathed in sharply, reaching up to grip Gil's hands as he sagged in their arms. A small sob escaped him, and Gilbert gave his fingers a squeeze.

Oscar smiled at him over Oz's head.

* * *

"Erm…" Gil fidgeted in his chair, his bookmarked cookbook strewn over his lap. "Young Master...would you...like to go for a walk? A-Ah! If you're feeling up to it, of course!"

Oz glanced up from his own book, the one that had been untouched on the nightstand for so many months. It warmed Gil's heart to see it back in use, but Oz had been so _un_ Oz-like all afternoon, and Gil just couldn't take it anymore.

The blond watched him thoughtfully for a moment, fingers tightening imperceptibly around the edges of his book. Seeming to sense Gilbert's growing desperation, he smiled. "Sure, Gil. That sounds like a nice break from reading."

Taking a deep breath at Gil's pleased grin, Oz set his book aside and carefully climbed out of bed. He swayed, and Gil held out a hand to steady him, the smile falling slightly.

"I-If you don't feel strong enough right now, it's fine...you don't have to—"

"Don't be such a worry wort. I'm fine!" Oz smiled brightly, releasing Gil's hand and motioning for him to lead the way.

* * *

The autumn air stung their cheeks and tugged at their hair as they walked through the gardens, Gil leading them out towards the woods they had often played in with Ada on sunny summer days.

Oz allowed Gil to stray a little ways ahead of him, keeping a slower pace as he enjoyed the cool sunlight streaming in through golden leaves. He smiled slightly, watching Gil walk through the dappled shadows, turning to him every now and then to ask if he was alright.

"Of course I'm alright, Gil…" Oz called to him each time, allowing a cheerful smile to spread over his face. And each time Gil turned away again the smile would fall.

At last they reached a small clearing near a little pond, fallen leaves strewn all across its surface. Gil stepped up onto an old log that hung out over the water, biting his lip anxiously all the while. Oz blinked, understanding that the action was meant to please him.

He moved toward the raven, ready to catch him should he fall.

"C-C'mon, Young Master...It's fun…" Gil's smile wavered.

"Er...I'm alright, Gil...I think I'd rather watch you have fun for now." His fingers tugged at the hem of his coat.

Gil's brows furrowed, slightly crestfallen. "If you're sure…" He stumbled slightly and Oz reached up a hand to steady him. Gil smiled gratefully, blinking at the blond for a moment. "You're so warm!"

Oz laughed. "Do you want my coat?"

Gil's cheeks reddened. "N-No thank you, Young Master…"

This time, Oz frowned. "Please….Gil, call me Oz…"

"T-That wouldn't be right!"

"You just said my name earlier this morning!"

Gil flushed, looking away. "That was different; it was an accident. To do it intentionally…" He quickly turned and walked out over the water on the log.

Oz sighed. "I'm sorry...It's just...I'm not really a Vessalius. I don't deserve to be your master…" Gil whirled around, a retort at the tip of his tongue but Oz cut him off. "I'm not even human! I'm _not_ Oz Vessalius, I'm just...Oz." _The Bloodstained Black Rabbit,_ a voice whispered in the back of his mind. He pushed the thought away.

Gil sighed, moving to the end of the log again and staring down at the leaves on the water. "I...guess I-I...can try to…" He swallowed. "...call you…O-Oz…" He was almost whispering when he spoke the name, chewing his lip anxiously at his master's silence. He glanced back to watch Oz lean against one of the trees, a contented smile pulling at his lips.

"Thanks, Gil."

Gilbert stared back into the water, hiding his pleased blush at the praise. Oz's smile widened as he caught the action out of the corner of his eye.

There was a sudden flurry of movement as a deer raced through the clearing, and Oz's attention shot back to the pond when he heard a sudden splash. He chuckled nervously for a moment, watching the spray settle back onto the surface of the pond. The ripples ceased. Oz straightened.

"Gil?"

The raven did not emerge.

Oz pulled off his coat and hurried to the edge of the water, a sickening feeling dropping into his stomach. The pond was still. Taking a deep breath, Oz plunged into the water after Gilbert.

It was cold. _So_ cold.

Water rushed into his mouth and nose, and Oz felt a momentary flash of panic as he struggled to move, his body paralyzed by the shocking chill. The water was much deeper than he'd expected; it seemed the area where Gil had fallen was a drop off of some sort.

Oz forced his head back underwater, opening his eyes to try and find Gilbert's form in the murky darkness. At last he managed to make out a solid shape in the haze, and he kicked hard, pushing his body toward the sinking teen. His outstretched fingers finally caught Gil's sleeve and he turned, struggling to pull them both upward in the darkness.

There was a sharp flash of pain from his stomach and Oz cringed, fighting the urge to gasp. He wondered if he'd torn the stitches.

The surface seemed so much farther with Gil's weight added to his own. The boy appeared to be unconscious, merely dead weight. Oz focused on the inconvenience to choke down his terror at what that might imply.

 _Come on, please, please...we have to make it…_

At last his head broke the surface, and he pulled Gil up beside him, gasping and coughing as he struggled to push them to the shore.

Gilbert remained unmoving.

Oz knelt over the raven, dead leaves sticking to his wet knees and tangling in Gil's hair. Oz hovered for a moment, shivering, as he tried to remember what Mrs. Kate had done when Ada had fallen into the lake at their summer mansion.

 _Compressions?_

He chewed his lip, knowing he didn't have much time, but terrified to make a fatal mistake. At last he leaned over Gilbert's chest and gave it a tentative press. When nothing happened, he tried again, pushing hard enough this time that Gil's body jerked slightly beneath him.

"Come on, Gil…"

His presses grew more frantic as moments passed and Gilbert continued to remain unresponsive. Tears filled his eyes, blurring the image of his best friend's pale face. A quiet crack could just barely be heard over his panting, and Oz pulled away sharply.

 _What had he done?_

"Please, Gil...please, _please—"_ He took a resolute breath, tilted Gil's head back, and leaned in to press his lips to the raven's. Before he could, golden eyes cracked open, a shaky gasp filling the clearing as Gil curled onto his side and coughed pond water over the deadfall.

Oz pressed his face into his hands with a relieved sob. Gil watched him in dazed confusion, shivering madly. Oz hurried to wrap his discarded coat around the raven, pulling him into his arms.

"Are you alright? Can you stand?"

He stood, one arm locked around Gilbert's waist, but Gil's knees buckled almost immediately. Oz scooped the shivering boy into his arms. The autumn air burned his wet skin through the thin shirt he'd worn. He pulled Gil closer, hoping to shield him from the faint wind.

Oz's steps were unsteady, thrown off balance by Gilbert's body and his own trembling legs. He staggered through the undergrowth, trying to be quick, but anxious about jarring his friend too much after that crack he'd heard. A hot rush of guilt flooded him. What if he'd made things worse?

 _You always do._ Whispered the smooth voice in the back of his mind. Oz's fingers tightened around Gil's shoulders.

The raven was shivering violently now, his forehead pressed into the crook of Oz's neck. Oz's foot caught a fallen branch and he stumbled, pulling Gil closer to his body to keep him from getting jostled too much.

"—'re warm…" Gil slurred, his breath hot and quick against Oz's throat. The blond glanced down at him, quickening his pace upon the realization that Gil's lips were beginning to turn blue.

"I-It's alright, w-we're almost...almost there…" His clamped his teeth together to keep from biting his tongue as they chattered.

At last the manor came into sight, candles just beginning to be lit in the windows as night started to fall. Oz's vision spun for a moment and he blinked furiously to keep from tipping at the sudden rush of vertigo. Black spots danced behind his eyes.

"Master Oscar!" The call was weak, his voice breaking halfway through. The duke would never hear him.

Oz pushed himself to move faster, stumbling more than once over the cobblestone as he reached the gardens. His head was pounding, hot stabs of pain rippling up his spine from his stomach and settling against his temple.

"M-MASTER OS-CAR!" Oz staggered toward the doors, holding Gil tight as he almost tipped again. The raven's shivers were weak, his head limp on Oz's shoulder. "Master...Un..Uncle? Oscar…" The blond sagged with relief as his uncle dashed out into the cold, his eyes wide, a few servants with blankets hurrying after him.

Oz smiled, sinking to his knees on the stone and allowing Gil to slide from his arms as Oscar knelt beside them. There was a distant muffled sound, as though maybe his uncle was speaking to him, but it was too late. His world tilted, and the last thing Oz saw were his uncle's knees on cobblestone before he was swallowed by darkness.


	9. Chapter Seven

**A/N: Thanks so much to** Era **for the kind review! Yes! Oz** ** _has_** **been healing! I'm so glad you noticed XD Everything surrounding that will of course be explained later, and ohhhhh yesss do I have plans for Oz's abilities as a chain! (Wow, it's probably going to be so anticlimactic now)**

 **Thank you again for the wonderful review!**

 **To be entirely honest, it was the only reason I finished this chapter on time. I also make art, and for the past few weeks I've been putting off drawing (since I have this weird problem where I can't be motivated to draw and write at the same time...if anyone has tips on that, I'd love to hear them) and yesterday I got this HUGE urge to draw instead of working on this chapter but I thought Well...someone reviewed...so I should finish for them XD**

 **Thanks so much to everyone for reading, sorry for rambling, I hope you like this chapter.**

 **DISCLAIMER: I don't own Pandora Hearts or Caucus Race, everything belongs to its original owners**

* * *

Gil blinked slowly, allowing his eyes to adjust to the dim candlelight. There was a faint weight all around him, soft and warm yet still heavy enough to be uncomfortable. He shifted, sitting up carefully and pushing at the thick blankets. As he moved them, there was a sudden heat to his right, almost pulsing in its strength. He turned slightly, pushing himself onto one elbow, immediately freezing as golden hair moved into his vision.

Oz was curled up beside him, his face flushed, breath sharp and hollow in his chest. Blond hair was plastered to his forehead and cheeks, soaked with sweat.

"M-Master?"

"I'm sorry if he's bothering you, he woke up earlier and panicked when he couldn't find you," Gil turned in surprise. Oscar sat near the edge of the bed, an open book in his hand. He smiled when he saw Gil, uncrossing his legs and sticking a bookmark between the pages. "I figured this would be the best solution."

"What...happened?" He glanced back at Oz, the blond's brows pulled together in an expression of slight pain.

Oscar frowned. "You don't remember?" Sighing softly at Gilbert's bewildered expression, he continued, "Oz carried you back from the forest, the two of you soaking wet and shivering. You were already unconscious—hypothermia, according to the doctor—and Oz collapsed in the courtyard." Oscar took a slight breath. "He...the doctor said it's an infection, Oz probably had a feeling something was wrong all afternoon."

Gil pressed a hand to his mouth in horror. "But then why did he—"

"Gil."

The raven glanced up, eyes watering.

"You...know as well as I do how much Oz fears being burden..." Oscar tapped his book against his palm absently. Gil suddenly felt sick. "There's an image of Oz that we all have in our minds; that sunny boy who always got up to all sorts of mischief, dragging everyone on wild adventures…" He swallowed, his gaze trailing sadly over his nephew.

"And Oz knows it. But he isn't that boy anymore. And I honestly don't know if he ever will be again."

Gil bit down hard on his lip, hard enough that it began to bleed. Oscar was right. Of course he was. Oz had been hiding behind his true identity—B-Rabbit—and finally showing his pain, his sorrow. He felt he was allowed to because he was just some abused chain they had rescued off the street, not the wise young noble they had all come to admire. Gilbert, Ada, even Oscar, they had all idolized Oz in their minds, and Oz was afraid to let them down with any sign of weakness.

They looked up to him, so he could never weigh them down with his troubles.

Gil saw it now.

Immediately after waking up, Oz had resumed his sunny composition, trekking out into the cold after Gilbert because he knew that was what the Oz in Gil's mind would've done. He'd been hiding behind that awful mask, and Gil hadn't seen through it in time.

Gil felt sick.

"H-How could I…?" He pressed his face into his hands, slow tears dripping out onto his knees, cold through his thin cotton pants.

A slight tug on his sleeve made him glance down in surprise. Oz had shifted forward, pressing his forehead to Gil's shoulder and pulling the raven's arm close. He was _burning_. Gil swallowed guiltily, reaching to stroke a hand through the sweaty blond hair. Oz mumbled something unintelligible, curling closer.

"What can we do?"

Taking a deep breath, Oscar said quietly, "The doctor says he won't 'waste anymore supplies on a chain.' But he helped us make sure you would be alright without complaint."

Gil sucked in a sharp breath. "What…?" His fists clenched. "How could anyone…He's in danger!"

Oscar smiled sadly. "Zai's influence is powerful. But Xerxes Break stopped by earlier with his friend Liam. They said Duke Rufus Barma would probably come take a look at him…" He trailed off, shaking his head.

Gil watched him carefully, the duke's worry clearly shining through. Oz would die from this if it wasn't treated soon.

He leaned back into the pillows, curling close to Oz and praying that Duke Barma would arrive soon.

* * *

"Gil…"

Gil frowned, pushing himself up on one elbow to stare at the blond who had cuddled up beside him in restless sleep.

"Young Master?"

Half-lidded green eyes gazed up at him through a fevered haze. "G-Gil...I...I'm so sorry...I…."

"Shhhh…" Gil murmured, watching the moonlight glint off of the tears in his master's eyes. "It's okay, you don't have to be sorry for anything." He hugged Oz closer, but the chain shook his head, pushing against him.

"Please….I'm sorry….please, please forgive me…" He suddenly went limp. So suddenly that Gil had to look down to make sure he was still alright. "No...That's….of course I could never ask that of you...after everything I've done…."

Gil stared at him. "Wha—"

Oz's trembling fingers fisted in Gilbert's shirt, pulling the raven nearer to him and pressing himself against him. Gil swallowed hard. He was warmer than before.

"Please…" His eyes were glassy, distant. "N-No...Please don't hurt him!" The whisper broke into a sob, and Gil wrapped his arms around the shivering body, realizing for the first time that his Master wasn't present at the moment.

Gil gripped his master's shoulders firmly. "Young Master Oz, please snap out of it! I…." His grip tightened ever-so-slightly on Oz's shoulders. "...I know whatever you're seeing seems real, but I promise you it's not happening right now! You don't need to be forgiven for anything."

Oz only shifted closer, holding Gil's shirt so tightly the raven wondered if it might tear. "Please, I-I'll do anything! Just...Just don't….hurt Gil…" Oz's fingers slackened, his head brushing just underneath Gil's chin as Oz curled into him. Gil stiffened.

Was he the cause of Oz's troubled sleep? Tears welled up behind his eyes.

* * *

Oscar slipped into the room, smiling softly at the sight of his nephew tucked safely into Gilbert's arms. He moved to stand beside the bed, giving Gil's shoulder a gentle tap in hopes of not disturbing Oz's rest.

Golden eyes gazed up at him anxiously. "I think he was hallucinating,"

Oscar swallowed. "Duke Barma should be here in a few hours. Until then, I was thinking maybe we should try to bring the fever down a bit with what we have."

Gil gave a sight nod, resting his chin back onto Oz's head with a quiet sigh. "What would you suggest?"

"I filled the bathtub. The water isn't _cold_ so it shouldn't be too much of a shock, but I just want to make sure his temperature at least stops rising."

Gil nodded again. "Now?"

"I can carry him for you,"

Shaking his head, the raven carefully untangled himself from Oz's grasp, standing and pulling his master into his arms. "I've got him."

Sorrow sank into Gil's heart as he held the blond close. There had been a time when he'd been too small to carry Oz, but now, on the brink of death, his master was lighter than he was.

 _Golden snow..._ Gil sighed sadly at the memory. Oscar had invited Oz, Gil, and Ada to spend the day at one of the family's wheat fields. It had been one of the rare occasions where Zai had been unable to forbid Oz from going out, and the blond had been ecstatic. He and Ada had run around having so much fun that Gil had barely been able to keep up, but while they were out a ways in one of the fields, Oz collapsed. Gil and Ada had been frantic, not having noticed Oz's temperature in time and not understanding what was wrong. Unable to lift Oz himself, Gil had run all the way back to find Oscar.

He hadn't been able to stop crying.

Oscar paused, giving Gil a gentle smile. He seemed to understand where the raven's thoughts had trailed.

Gil smiled back weakly. He still berated himself for that day, but even now, years later, he hadn't noticed that Oz wasn't feeling well and it had put his master in danger. He swallowed.

Oz's breath was fast and shallow, warm on Gil's shirt as his head lolled against his chest. Soft morning light touched the sheen of sweat on his forehead.

Oscar helped Gil undress Oz, both careful to avoid the angry red wounds on his stomach and lower back. Gil tried desperately to ignore the scars that marred his master's skin, but his eyes refused to leave the long deep mark the stretched from shoulder to hip.

" _...you took the ceremonial sword and slashed your sweet valet across the chest."_

That scar had been meant for him. He should've been the one to feel the agony of metal tearing through him, and maybe, in some world, he had. But here….Oz had taken the fall for Gilbert, and the raven would never forgive himself.

" _He must hate me too...I deserve it...all of this is my fault…"_

Gil forced himself to suppress his tears, to focus on his injured master and how to heal him. One managed to slip down his cheek anyway, something that didn't go unnoticed by Oscar. Gil looked away, lifting Oz into the tub. The blond gasped as soon as his body touched the water, his fingers digging into Gil's arms.

"Shhh…" Gil breathed, running a gentle hand through Oz's hair. "It's alright...I know it feels really cold but it'll help, I promise…"

Oz's breath quickened, his eyes still closed, brows pulled together in slight discomfort. He slumped back against the edge of the bathtub.

 _Oh, Oz….I could_ never _hate you..._

Oscar stood with a quiet grunt, sending Gil a soft smile and turning to leave. "I'll leave you to it then. I would take him out when you think the water's starting to get too warm to make a difference."

Gil nodded, dipping a small rag into the water and running it tenderly over Oz's forehead. The blond mumbled something unintelligible, but his expression seemed to lighten.

Gil smiled sadly. This wasn't the first time he'd bathed his master while he wasn't feeling good. Oz had even made him get in as well once.

His cheeks colored at the memory.

But usually, if Oz was running a fever, he would fight Gil's attempts to set him in the water, sometimes even succeeding in escaping a bath. His quiet acceptance of the water terrified Gil.

He cupped his hands, scooping some water into them and pouring it over Oz's head. Oz inhaled sharply, leaning his head back against the wall. Gil stroked his hair again, bringing his cool hands down along Oz's forehead and cheeks, cupping the blond's chin gently.

"Can you open your eyes for me?" He asked quietly, his stomach flipping uncomfortably at the heat radiating from his master's skin.

Glazed green eyes cracked open, sliding to the side to gaze at him tiredly. Gil smiled weakly. "Thank you…" He breathed, dipping his fingers into the water and running them over Oz's throat. The blond made a small sound of pleasure, his eyes falling shut again.

Gil tangled his hands in the dirty golden hair, watching the water cloud with mud and blood from his wounds. He waited, as Oscar had instructed, until the water was hardly cool enough to do anything before grabbing a large towel and lifting Oz from the water. Immediately, Oz's legs buckled and he slumped against Gilbert as the raven bundled the towel around him and dried his hair.

At last, he scooped Oz into his arms and carried him carefully back to bed. The blond opened his eyes slowly, blinking in confusion as he gazed up at the boy holding him.

"Gil…?"

"It's alright," Gil murmured, squeezing him gently. "I'm right here." He tucked Oz into bed, making sure the blankets around him wouldn't be warm enough to raise his temperature again and crawled in beside him.

"I'm right here, and I promise I'll always be here when you need me."

He wrapped the thin boy in his arms.


	10. Chapter Eight

**A/N: Thanks again to** Era **for such a kind review! Ahh, it really means a lot XD There** ** _is_** **a reason for Oz's apologies, so that'll be revealed soon, I promise. I really wish they'd had a little more of Oz and Gil as kids too, since I really love both ages for Gil, and it would've made writing this a little easier. Honestly, Gil is so confusing XD He's weak and shy and passive, but then he's so passionate and strong sometimes, even as a child, so it's always hard to accurately judge how he would respond in a given situation.**

 **Honestly, I'm a bit disappointed with this chapter (because I wrote all of it today :/ *sigh*) I don't know...I just feel like the end didn't really come out the way I wanted it to...but I hope you like it! Thanks everyone for reading!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original owners**

* * *

Something soft brushed against Gil's nose. His face twisted, eyebrows pulling together as he straightened, opening his eyes and sitting up slowly. Oz made a quiet noise of protest, his grip tightening on Gil's shirt to pull him back down.

But Gil was frozen, staring at the velvety black ears protruding from Oz's golden hair. Sometimes it was easy to forget that his master was a chain. Gil swallowed hard. He had caused Oz so much pain…

There was a quiet chuckle from the other side of the room. "When rabbits let their ears rest all the way back like that, it means they feel very safe and relaxed."

Gil turned sharply, startled to find a slender man sitting at the end of the bed, a book in one hand and a strand of long red hair in the other. He was smiling slightly, but there was a sharp glint in his eyes that set Gil's nerves on edge.

"You should be honored. Rabbits are naturally quite nervous and distrusting creatures, especially so if they're injured or sick."

Gil glanced back down at Oz. The blond's mouth was turned down in a soft grimace, but otherwise he did seem more at ease than Gil had seen him lately. He swallowed down his guilt.

"Ah, Gil, it seems you and Duke Barma have already met." Oscar slipped into the room, Break and another man following close behind him. Break lingered beside the door, his eye narrowed on the red-haired man.

Oscar stopped beside Gil, ruffling his hair. He glanced at Barma. "Would you mind taking a look at him?"

Duke Barma tilted his head, giving a slight nod. He stood, setting his book aside and moved to stand beside Oscar. Gil moved behind Oz, letting the blond rest against him while the duke inspected him.

Barma lifted Oz's shirt, his eyebrows immediately raising at the sight of the wound. "Does it go all the way through?"

Oscar sighed. "Unfortunately."

"Incredible," Barma breathed, leaning in and pressing gently around the edges of the injury. Oz flinched. Gil grit his teeth. "Absolutely incredible."

"What is, Lord Barma?" The brunet wondered, adjusting his glasses and leaning closer.

"The wound has already begun to heal."

"What?" Oscar's eyes were wide. "But he's been so sick!"

Barma clicked his tongue. "The infection is still there, and it's still a danger, but the wound itself has already begun to close. Quite a bit in fact." He gestured for Oscar to move closer, pointing at the outermost edges of the wound. The skin was soft and pink, completely healed and moving in toward the center of the injury. Gil breathed in sharply.

"So it'll heal by itself, then?" asked Oscar, eyebrows knit together in anxious confusion.

"No. As I said, the infection is still a problem, but if we get it taken care of, at this rate the cut should close fully within a few days to a week." His eyes were bright with interest as he inspected the wound again. "That's even faster than the alleged healing abilities of the Baskervilles!"

"Do you have any idea why this is happening?" Oscar chewed his lip slightly.

Barma shook his head. "Not at all, but I would assume it is some side effect of the abyssal energy that's surrounding his body." Catching Gil's confused frown, he continued, "This body is human, yet the soul of a chain resides inside. So, naturally, the body is being worn down by the amount of energy and power of the chain. It's especially prominent in such a powerful chain as the Bloodstained Black Rabbit."

"But somehow that energy is manifesting itself in healing his body?" Break spoke for the first time, straightening and moving farther into the room. "Shouldn't his body eventually be destroyed because of such a high amount of energy?"

Gil and Oscar exchanged a worried glance.

Barma's eyes glinted with interest. "Yes, that is exactly why this is such a strange phenomenon." He turned to snap his fingers at the brunet. "Liam, grab my bag."

Adjusting his glasses again, Liam nodded and hurried out into the hall with a quick bow.

Oscar's face lightened. "So you'll help?"

Barma smiled shrewdly. "On one condition. You'll let me stay here and study this chain until I understand what's happening." Oscar opened his mouth to answer, his expression falling slightly, but the duke cut him off. "And I shall be allowed to conduct whatever tests I wish. You need not worry that I might betray you to Pandora, my own tests will be much more productive than any those imbeciles could even dream to attempt." He flicked a lock of hair with the back of his hand.

Sighing, Oscar ran a weary hand through his hair. "I don't really suppose we have a choice, do we? We need your help to lower the fever."

He and Barma shook hands. Liam hurried back into the room, carrying a large bag over one shoulder. Duke Barma took it from him brusquely, rummaging through what sounded like books and bottles. He pulled out three smaller bags and shoved them into Gilbert's arms.

"Go make these into tea. Add honey if you think it'll be too bitter for him."

Gil nodded shyly, gently helping Oz back down onto the pillows and slipping from the bed. The blond caught the back of his shirt, glazed green eyes watching him anxiously. Gil held the hand in his, giving it a soft squeeze. "I'm going to bring you something to make you feel better, alright? Master Oscar is here, and I'll be right back." Oz looked like he wanted to protest, but didn't; something Gil was grateful for. He couldn't have said no if Oz had asked him to stay.

He hurried down the hall, admittedly somewhat anxious to leave Oz alone. He'd stayed by his master's side almost entirely since the blond had saved him. The kitchen doors were in sight when a hand caught his arm, pulling him down a secluded hallway and shoving him back against the wall.

Gil stared up into the fierce green eyes of Zai Vessalius.

"Wha—"

Zai's grip on his wrist was starting to hurt. "Will you really be so loyal to that _thing_ when it murders you in your sleep? Or Oscar, right before your eyes?"

Gil glared at the man, struggling to pull himself away. "His _name_ is _Oz!"_

" _Oz,_ the Bloodstained Black Rabbit." Zai sneered. "Do you know why it's called that? Do you know how many people that chain has killed in cold blood?"

Gil swallowed hard. "W-Why are you doing this?"

" _I'm trying to protect my family from a demon."_ His voice was pure venom.

Finally managing to jerk himself away from the man, Gil snarled, "I'm protecting _my_ family, too!" He began to back toward the kitchen again. "And if you _ever_ lay a hand on him again, I'll…"

Zai's face twisted into a victorious smirk. "You'll _what?"_

Gil shook his head, turning and running into the kitchen, trying desperately to calm his racing heart. Why had Zai cornered him in such a way? There had to be some sort of hidden threat, he decided.

The thought made his steps shaky.

Was Zai planning to hurt Oz?

* * *

Barma was just finishing tying a large bandage around Oz's stomach when Gil slipped back into the room. He moved to Oscar's side, watching as Barma explained the benefits of Turmeric powder to the blond.

"Excellent, make that tea every few hours until the fever is completely gone." said the duke, nodding approvingly at Gilbert.

"Which herbs did you use?" Oscar wondered as Gil slipped back onto the bed beside Oz and held the cup to his master's lips.

"Yarrow, Peppermint, and Elderflower," Barma explained, gesturing at each of the bags in turn. "Together they should raise his temperature until he sweats out the last of the fever. Wrap him up quite a bit with those blankets, the heat will be good, trust my expertise."

Still looking slightly anxious, Oscar nodded, and together he and Gil tucked the chain in the thickest blanket.

Oz's ears twitched. He opened his eyes a crack, caught sight of Gil, and nestled deeper into the blankets with a muffled sigh. His ears fell back into the relaxed position Barma had mentioned earlier. The duke sent Gil a knowing glance. The raven blushed, setting the empty teacup on the bedside table, grabbing his book, and curling up beside his master to read.

* * *

The next morning, Gil was delighted to find that Oz was once again coherent enough to hold a conversation, something that restored his faith in the shifty Duke Barma.

Gil reached over to press a hand to Oz's forehead, relieved that it seemed the fever had broken sometime during the night. "How are you feeling?"

"Mmm...sweaty." Oz's lips twitched into a half-hearted smile. His voice was still soft, but Gil's heart soared to hear his master speak.

He shifted, moving to run a hand through Oz's hair, but the blond caught his wrist. "Did something happen?" He brushed a gentle thumb over the dark bruise that marred Gil's pale skin, brows knit together in worry.

Gil pulled his arm away quickly. "A-Ah...it's nothing, I smacked my arm on the cupboard while I was making tea…"

Oz studied his face for a moment, still frowning. "...Okay…" he said quietly, fists clenching in his lap. Gil swallowed. Oz didn't believe him, but he had accepted this answer as the one Gil wanted him to believe.

It felt like betrayal.

But how could Gil explain what had happened without frightening his master? Oz would take Zai's actions as a threat to Gilbert, and the raven would instantly be pushed away. Gil couldn't risk Oz shutting him out.

* * *

"Big Brother!"

Gil looked up from his book, surprised to see Ada hurrying into the room. She bounced to a stop beside the bed, green eyes bright and wide. "Uncle said you were sick, but that you're getting better now!" She giggled. "I'm so glad! I've really missed you…"

Oz's eyes filled with tears. "Ada…"

Just then, a small gray bundle hopped into Gil's lap. He stiffened, resolved to wait until the creature decided to leave, if only for the sake of his master, but then—

"Mew!"

Gil screamed, leaping from his chair and onto the bed, his book flying to the floor. The cat let out a squeak of surprise as it too fell, but it simply stood up and curled at Ada's feet. Still gasping from the horror of having a _cat_ in his _lap,_ Gil suddenly came to the awareness that he was sitting on Oz.

The blond was staring at him with slightly wide eyes.

"A-Ah! I'm so sorry!" Gil yelped, scrambling backward and nearly falling from the bed. Oz quickly caught his arms, pulling him back up before he could hurt himself.

"Careful!"

Gil quickly moved to sit beside his master, hands hovering anxiously, unsure of what to do. "I-I'm so sorry, did I hurt you?"

Oz stared at him for a moment, before leaning back into the pillows and letting out a small huff. "Of course not." The huff turned into a quiet chuckle, which then turned into full laughter.

Gil and Ada exchanged a startled glance. But, as he turned his gaze back to his master, Gil realized how long it had really been since he'd heard Oz laugh like that. _So, so long. Too long._ He relaxed, content to simply watch the sunlight play with Oz's hair as he laughed, head back and eyes bright. It had been so long since he'd gotten to see Oz so happy.

He resolved to do everything he could to make his master smile. Real, beautiful smiles like that.

His giggles finally quieting, Oz lay back, eyes warm and soft as he gazed up at the ceiling. He reached out and caught Gil and Ada's hands in his. "I really….missed this." His eyes darkened. "I missed you. I missed you so, so much."

Gil gave his hand a soft squeeze. Oz's eyes watered. "I-I missed you... _so_ much…I—" His grip tightened as he moved the hand holding Gil's to his eyes, wiping at them with his knuckles. "—I-I wish...I wish we could just go _back—"_

"I don't." Gil interrupted. Oz went rigid. "I...regret everything that happened to you _so much._ I-I would give _anything_ to change it, and I'll...I'll always treasure those days we had together….they were so, _so_ beautiful, and if I had known all of this would happen, I would've done _so_ much more for you...but... _Oz_...You have no idea how much it means to me to—" He broke off, blinking back his own tears as he waited for his voice to steady. "—to g-et to hear your….feelings like this…"

Oz stared at him. "Y-You…."

Ada jumped onto the bed, pulling both boys into her arms. "You both need each other a lot, remember that, Big Brother…"

Oz laughed wetly against Gil's shoulder. "Of course Ada, I will. Thank you."

Gil squeezed his hand.

* * *

"Hey—" Gil glanced up from his cookbook, surprised to find that Oz had fallen asleep. Biting his lip, he studied the page he'd stopped on. It was a recipe for apple crisps, one of Oz's favorite foods. He'd wanted to ask his master if he was in the mood for a sugary treat like that, but...it _would_ be the perfect opportunity to surprise him…

He stood quickly, making sure Oz really was asleep, before hurrying from the room.

Checking the kitchen, Gil was disappointed to find they had used the last of the apples last night to make a guest dinner for Duke Barma. If he wanted apples, he'd have to go get them himself. Sighing, Gil pulled on his coat and hurried out into the chilled evening air.

He'd be back before Oz woke up.

* * *

The apple tree was deeper in the forest than he'd remembered. It was right along the path, so he knew he wouldn't miss it, but the sun was starting to set, and he didn't want Oz to wake up alone.

At last the tree came into view, crisp red apples hanging from its branches. He leaned up, picking several and putting them into the small basket he'd brought along. Smiling softly, he turned to head back to the manor, freezing at the sound of a twig snapping nearby.

He turned his head slowly, biting his lip and praying it was only a rabbit or something. The nighttime shadows always set his nerves on edge.

A face grinned back at him from the darkness, empty black eyes and a stitched together mouth twisted into a feral grin. Gil screamed, stumbling back and turning to run. There was an earth-shaking crash from behind him. The creature was following.

Gil's foot caught on a branch, sending him tumbling to the ground, the basket of apples cradled to his chest. It was a steeper hill than he'd first thought, and he gasped as his leg twisted painfully beneath him.

There was another thump. The creature was getting closer. Gil tried to push himself to his feet, but his left leg buckled instantly. Terror consumed him. He couldn't breathe. How could he have left Oz all alone when there was a chain on the loose? And now he wouldn't even get to say goodbye….

The creature's face came into view, it's grin seeming wider than before.

"Make a contract with me, little boy. Isn't there a past you want to change?"

"I already have a chain!" Gil gasped, trying once more to stand. He crumpled to the ground with a yelp.

The chain laughed, a deep ring that seemed to echo all around Gil. "Well, that's too bad! I guess I'll just have to eat you then!" It lunged forward, giant hands outstretched.

"Don't you listen when people are talking?"

Gil's blood froze at the voice. _No….Please, you can't be here…_

A chain shot from the darkness, wrapping around the creature's hands and pulling them away from Gil. A from darted in front of him, scythe poised and ready to strike.

"How dare you attack _my_ contractor!"

The creature laughed again, although it was struggling to pull itself free from the chains. "This kid, the contractor of the Mighty B-Rabbit? HA, what a joke!"

"Please leave here!" Oz yelled, stretching out his arms. "If you go back to the Abyss, I won't hurt you!"

"Get out of my way, B-Rabbit! That kid was my dinner!" The chain lunged again, this time flinging its entire body forward.

"Oz!" cried Gil, attempting to stand once more. Oz was going to get hurt, and it was all his fault—

Oz leapt up, his scythe flashing down and slicing the chain's head off in one swoop. The body disintegrated instantly.

Gil stared, open-mouthed, at his master as the scythe vanished. He had seen B-Rabbit fighting the Baskervilles, but this...this was _Oz._

The blond hurried to his side. Gil didn't miss the way he seemed to be favoring his right leg. "You're hurt!"

"I-I'm fine," said Gil, gathering the basket of apples into his arms. "You hurt your leg!"

Oz blinked at him. "Huh? No, I...Just let me help you," He knelt beside Gil, pulling the shorter boy onto his back.

"Don't push yourself!" Gil gasped, another wave of pain shooting through his leg. Oz stumbled.

"I told you, I'm fine!" Oz snapped. "Tell me what happened. Why were you out by yourself at night?"

Gil's grip tightened on the basket. "It doesn't matter…"

"It matters to me."

Gil's cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "W-Why? I was stupid and that's all that matters. You shouldn't have followed me, you could've gotten hurt!"

Oz sighed sharply. "And you could've died!" His voice softened. "Please tell me what happened to your leg."

The manor came into view between the trees.

"Please stop asking...I….it's not important."

Oz sighed again, but said nothing. Gil frowned into his master's hair. If only he hadn't been so stupid, now he couldn't even walk to the kitchen. The apples were useless.

He was so useless.

* * *

Oscar smiled gently. "Thankfully, it looks like it's only a bad sprain. It should be alright within a few weeks." He finished wrapping Gil's ankle and stepped back to ruffle the raven's hair.

Gil's fist's clenched in his lap. _Weeks..._ He really was useless.

Oscar patted Oz's head gently. "We're so lucky you found him in time."

Oz nodded, his gaze downcast. "It _was_ lucky." He fingered the hem of his coat. Gil frowned at him.

"Master Oscar, Oz hurt himself too."

The duke turned to his nephew, his face stern, but Oz shook his head. "I didn't." He sounded tired. Gil scowled.

"You did! You were limping!"

Oz looked up at Oscar, his expression conflicted. The duke's eyes widened. "Was it his left leg, Gil?"

"Yes Master Oscar, I think something happened when he was fighting the chain, but...he won't _tell_ me…"

Oscar sighed heavily. "I don't think I'd worry too much about it then." He glanced at Oz, his eyebrows knit together anxiously. "It shouldn't put too much strain on his body for now, don't worry."

Oz gave a slight nod, but his fists were clenched in a white-knuckled grip.

Gil frowned. "A-Alright...Master Oscar…"

The duke spared his nephew one last glance, slipping from the room.

"Please tell me what you were doing," said Oz quietly, moving to sit beside the bed.

Gil set his jaw. "Why won't you tell me what's wrong with your leg?" He countered stubbornly.

Why wouldn't Oz let it rest?

"Because there _isn't_ anything—"

"Just stop it!" Gil yelled, pushing himself to his feet. Pain shot along his leg. Oz gasped, reaching in to steady him, but Gil smacked his hands away.

"G-Gil—"

"Why didn't you tell me you weren't feeling good that day? You could've died!"

Oz's fists clenched. "And you could've died tonight!"

"Why didn't you _tell_ me, Oz? How can you expect me to tell you things when you won't even trust me with something like a fever? Now do you see how much it _hurts?"_

"I-I…" Oz dropped his gaze to the floor. "I...didn't...want to burden you….I…" He shifted, crossing his arms uncomfortably. "I know...that you wanted the old Oz back...but I _can't—"_

"Your feelings will never be a burden to me!"

"I'm just a chain!" Oz shouted. "You shouldn't have to worry about my problems! As your master, it's _my_ job to protect _you!_ " He looked away, biting the inside of his cheek. "You shouldn't have to worry about the mistakes of a fake like me—"

Hot fury swirled into Gil's blood. "You always say you're a fake because you're a chain, but you're not! You're not, Oz! The life we had was _real!_ " Oz's eyes went wide with surprise. Gil's vision blurred. " _No_ , Oz, you're a _fake_ because you act like you're okay when you're _not!_ You always keep everything to yourself, and in the end, everyone gets hurt because _you were too stubborn to admit you're in_ pain!"

Oz looked like someone had struck him. The wounded expression was like ice in Gil's veins. He reached out to brush the blond's shoulder, but Oz jerked back, his eyes wide.

"O-Oz…?"

"I…" Oz shook his head. His breath was sharp and quick.

Gil took a step forward, gritting his teeth at the flash of pain in his leg as he hobbled. Oz cringed. Nausea sank into Gil's stomach. "I...I didn't mean…"

"I'm sorry….I…" Slow tears began to slid down his master's cheeks, curling under his chin. "...I-I…Gil…"

He seemed breathless. Gil swallowed. "H-Hey, why don't you sit down…"

"All my fault….everything...I.."

Gil gasped. "N-No! No...I didn't mean that!" He tried to take another step toward his master, but Oz began to back away. Throbbing pain began to build in Gil's temple. He pressed a hand to his head, looking up through his bangs to see Oz doing the same. The blond buried his face in his hands, a thin wail escaping him.

"Oz!"

But Oz turned on his heel, whirling out into the hall. "Wait—" Gil tried to move too quickly and his left leg buckled completely beneath him, sending him to the floor with a pained gasp.

 _No….Oz…_

* * *

… **.** _ **Everyone gets hurt….**_

… _ **.Everyone….**_

… _ **.All because of you….**_

… _ **.You always...hurt everyone….**_

… _ **.Always….**_

 _Shut up._

… _ **.Always….**_

 _Shut up!_

… _ **.So useless…**_

 _Stop…_

… _ **..All your fault…**_

 _Please...stop…_

… _ **..It would have been better….if you had never been born…**_

 _Please….Jack…._


	11. Chapter Nine

**A/N: Last night I was re-reading the last few chapters of Pandora Hearts ;-; and I noticed that the previous chapter of my story had ended on page 104 and idk I must've been really tired because I snickered a bit about that**

 **Anyway, we're nearing the end, which is a tad exciting for me because I can start really plotting more of the sequel, something that's been at the back of my mind for quite a while**

 **I hope you like this chapter, thank you all for reading!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original owners**

* * *

Gil sighed, staring down at the plate Oscar had brought him. The duke had insisted that he stay in bed and rest, in hopes of hastening the healing process of his injured leg.

Gil's fists clenched. Oscar had told him that Oz hadn't come to breakfast, and that when he'd checked his room, it had been empty.

What if Oz had run away?

It had happened before, years ago, on one of those rare occasions when Oscar became angry with Oz. The young noble had run off into the forest and gotten himself lost. Gil and Oscar had searched all night, finally finding him curled up asleep in some bushes.

It had been a nightmare.

Taking a deep breath, Gil set the plate aside and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. Holding the side with a white-knuckled grip, he grit his teeth and pushed himself to take a shaky step, putting as little weight as possible on his left leg. There was still a sharp ripple of pain, but he continued on anyway, gripping the wall for support as he staggered out into the hall.

He chanced a glance into Oz's room as he passed, but, just as Oscar had said, it was deserted. Gil swallowed and headed toward the stairs.

His curious headache from the previous night had faded to a dull throb, but combined with the pain from his leg, he wasn't sure how smoothly his trip to the main floor would go.

Just as he reached the main staircase, he heard muffled voices from one of the nearby sitting rooms.

It sounded like Barma.

Frowning slightly, Gil crept along the wall until he was near enough to peek in through the crack in the door, immensely relieved to find Oz sitting stiffly on one of the couches. His shirt was off, and Duke Barma was crouching beside him, inspecting what Gilbert assumed was the healing progress of the injury.

"Excellent, it seems to be healing at the rate I predicted. Soon, you'll be completely closed up."

Oz nodded slightly, staring down into his lap. "It's a good thing we took the stitches out, then." He said quietly.

Barma dipped his head in agreement. "'Tis." He sat back into one of the plush chairs, folding his arms. "Would you show me the ears again?"

Oz nodded again, still seeming somewhat hesitant. A pair of silky black rabbit ears materialized from his hair.

The duke leaned forward in his seat, reaching out a hand. Oz bent his head, allowing the man to run his fingers over the ears.

"I see…" Barma murmured, humming to himself in thought. "It's odd, this body is clearly human, and yet here you are, the soul of a chain, sitting before me and speaking to me as if this body is your own. Is there any way you could explain it to me?"

Oz shook his head. "I'm sorry, I don't know much about it myself. I...thought this body was my own up until a few months ago."

Gil sighed with regret.

Barma crossed his arms again. "And did you know you were a chain?"

Oz shifted, dropping his gaze to the floor. "No."

"So, whoever this body belonged to must've died or left his body. Do you know if there was a _real_ Oz Vessalius?"

Oz cringed. Gil's fists clenched. "Yes...there was a child that Rachel Vessalius gave birth to, but my contractor told me he was stillborn..."

Barma's eyes narrowed. "Your contractor? So could this be that child's body?"

"No. That child's body...was taken away from here and...replaced...with this one."

The duke leaned forward with interest. "You sound like you know more about this than you're letting on. Is there anything you're willing to tell me about your previous contractor or the owner of this body?"

Oz seemed to shrink into himself. "I-I'm sorry….but I can't…"

Barma nodded, his eyes gleaming. "I see. That's all I needed for now. Come and see me again tomorrow so I can continue my tests."

Oz gave a slight nod, standing slowly and making his way toward the door. Gil ducked to the side just in time as it swung fully open, but Oz turned the other way, not seeming to see him.

"O-Oz!" Gil flushed, still feeling somewhat strange using his master's name when he wasn't angry or afraid.

"Gil?" Oz turned, but refused to meet his eyes. His fingers were clenched around the hem of his shirt.

Gil took a deep breath. "I wanted to apologize. I always...seem to say the wrong thing…" He glanced away. "What I said...last night...I didn't mean that. I was just upset. You don't hurt anyone, you're never a burden, don't worry—" He had moved forward as he spoke, reaching out to take his master's hands. Oz pulled away sharply.

"P-Please….don't...touch me…"

Gil froze, eyes wide. "H-Huh?" The ache that had settled in his head grew to a fierce pounding. "O-Oz, I…"

The blond shook his head, backing away. "Gil, I'm sorry, I-I'm so sorry, please….just...leave me alone…" He turned, dashing down the hall before Gil had a chance to respond.

Gil stared after him. At last, he leaned back against the wall, burying his face in his hands as the pain in his head rose.

Where was this ache coming from? He couldn't think of anything he'd done that would've caused some sort of head injury, so why did it hurt like this?

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to try and make his way back to his room. There was no use looking for Oz right now. If his master didn't want to be found, the chance of finding him was incredibly unlikely.

He had almost reached his door, when a sudden wave of nausea came over him. Gil gasped, staggering against the wall as the world spun, the pain in his head suddenly so intense it felt like his brain might explode.

He couldn't breathe. His thoughts were jumbled, a faint voice weaving through his mind, seeming to echo inside him. He couldn't make out the words, but the voice was familiar, achingly so.

And just as suddenly as it came, the pain vanished, leaving Gil slumped against the wall, gasping as he tried his hardest not to succumb to the lingering whispers of unconsciousness that tugged at his mind.

Sharp realization fell upon him as he pushed himself to his feet, still panting.

 _This pain….isn't mine…._

 _Oz!_

* * *

He found Oz unconscious in one of the kitchens, one side of his face wet with blood from a deep gash in his forehead. Sinking to his knees beside his master with a cry of horror, Gil snatched a rag from the countertop and pressed it to the wound.

 _Oz must've fainted and hit his head on the edge of the counter,_ He realized, chewing his lip anxiously. Normally, he would've had no trouble scooping his master into his arms and carrying him back to his room to treat his wounds. But he could barely walk on his own, he doubted he'd be able to get back up the stairs carrying a body.

He could go for help, but was reluctant to leave the blond in such a state. It looked like he'd already lost quite a bit of blood.

Gil pulled Oz onto his lap, trying to support his head as much as he could. Blood-soaked hair stained his white shirt crimson. Gil struggled to calm his frantic breathing.

There was a sudden sharp gasp from the doorway. "What happened?" And then a tall brunet was beside him, tearing a strip of cloth from his own shirt and wrapping it around Oz's head as he took him in his arms. He stood, looking around anxiously. "Could you please help me find his room? I'm still not entirely certain of the layout of this place…"

Gil stared up at the man in surprise. "Th-Thank you so much Sir!" He gasped, pushing himself to his feet as quickly as he could and staggering out into the hall. The man followed close behind him, even going so far as to offer his arm for support as they made their way up the stairs, for which Gil sent him a grateful smile.

"Do you know what happened?" The brunet wondered, tucking Oz gently into his bed and hurrying to the washroom to find a real bandage.

Gil sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed and running a hand through his hair. "I-I'm not entirely sure, but I think he must've fainted..."

The man nodded, bringing a small bucket and some rags along with the bandages. Gil watched him clean the wound with steady, yet gentle hands, finishing to carefully push Oz's hair back as he bandaged the wound.

 _Liam….I think Barma called him. He seemed to be an assistant of some sort…_

Gil crawled onto the bed beside Oz, shyly gesturing for the man to hand him the bucket and rags. "I can't even begin to thank you for your help Mr...ah...Liam?"

Liam laughed kindly. "Of course! It was no trouble. I'm happy I found the two of you in time, there's no way you would've been able to carry him with that bad ankle."

Gil beamed at him, dipping the rag into the water and running it gently over Oz's face, cleaning away the blood. He was terrified for his master, incredibly confused as to what could've happened, but the appearance of this kind man just felt so... _calming_ somehow.

"I'll go tell Lord Oscar what happened, alright? I'll be right back."

Gil nodded, sending Liam one last grateful smile as the man disappeared out into the hall. Without his gentle presence, the raven found himself struggling to blink back tears.

Why hadn't he seen the signs sooner? Oz could be seriously injured, and it was all because Gilbert _continuously_ failed to understand the situation. He swiped a hand over his eyes, cursing his own stupidity.

They'd fought last night because Gil had been stubborn, refusing to listen to what Oz was trying to tell him. He didn't know why the blond hadn't wanted him to know they were sharing pain, but if Gil had respected his decision to stay quiet then maybe this wouldn't have happened.

But...at the same time, if Gil allowed Oz to hide his real pain, then they'd still probably end up in a similar situation. He sniffed, sighing softly. It was just bad timing.

"Gil! What happened? Are you alright?"

Gil hurried to blink away his tears before Oscar could see them. "I-I'm...honestly not sure what happened...I think he fainted." He sent the duke a shaky smile. "Of course I'm…" The smile fell as he caught sight of Reim's faint frown.

"Master Oscar...you said once...that when the bond between contractor and chain became deep enough….they'd begin to feel the pain of the other. That's what's happening….isn't it?"

Oscar went rigid. Taking a slight breath, he sat on the edge of the bed. "Gil…" He ran a hand through his hair. "I...yes...I think so. But you see, normally, contractors have a hand on their seal, which slowly moves around the circle and ticks their life away."

Gil swallowed. "What...What happens when the hand moves all the way around…?"

"The contractor is sent to the deepest level of the Abyss."

Gil gasped, his gaze flashing down to Oz's still face. Was that...what awaited him? The price he had to pay for making the contract? It would certainly explain Oz's horror at finding out about it.

"What'll...happen to Oz?"

Oscar shook his head. "I'm not positive, but from what I know...I think you'd both be dragged down."

Gil couldn't breathe.

He'd inadvertently doomed them both.

"Gil wait!" said Oscar quickly. "Before you start to worry too much, remember that your seal doesn't even have a hand."

"What does that mean?"

The duke looked away. "Even Oz isn't sure, but I do know he's fairly worried about what it _might_ mean. For now though, if it doesn't have a hand, then it can't complete a rotation and drag the two of you down."

Gil sighed in relief.

"However," Oscar continued, "on a usual seal, as the hand ticks its way around and the bond begin chain and contractor begins to grow, _that's_ when they begin to share pain. It's generally a sign that the seal is almost complete. Oz didn't say anything to you last night because he's been worried this might happen for quite a while. He wants to study it more, and didn't want to scare you, just in case it was nothing."

Gil looked down at his hands, watching his fists clench and unclench. "I still would've liked to know…"

"Hold on," said Liam suddenly. He'd been silent for so long, Gil had almost forgotten about his presence. "Lord Oscar, could the reason behind all this simply be due to the strong bond they already had before the contract? The link could've grown exponentially because of it."

Oscar sighed. "That is a possibility, but I don't want to write it off as nothing without more information. It could still end up causing trouble."

Liam nodded. "Of course, I agree."

Oz let out a quiet groan then, his eyelids fluttering. Gil immediately took his hand, rubbing gentle circles over his master's skin.

Green eyes stared up at him in confusion. "Oh...did I...faint?"

Gil nodded. "I think so,"

"Are you alright?" Oz sat up slowly, one hand pressed to his forehead. He watched Gil anxiously.

Frowning, Gil said, "Of course! I mean…" He wrung his hands in his lap. "I felt what was going on, but it didn't affect me in the long-term."

Oz sighed, relaxing back into the pillows. "Good."

"You've made two contracts, haven't you?"

The voice was soft, calm, but there was a feeling of dark venom twisted into the words.

Oz stiffened, his gaze flashing to the door, where Duke Barma was just stepping into the room. He didn't look amused.

Oscar sent his nephew a bewildered frown. "What?"

Barma ignored him, coming to stand at the end of the bed. His eyes didn't leave Oz. "Earlier, you spoke of your contractor as though he were still influencing you, even now. Yet I know you weren't speaking of little Gilbert here, so the only logical conclusion I could arrive at was that you somehow managed to hold _two_ contracts at once. Am I correct?"

Oz looked away. "I...yes...I-I…"

Barma's eyebrows shot up. "And, by further estimate, that body belongs to the original contractor. Is this also correct?"

"...Yes."

Grey eyes flashed with pride. "That is all the information I needed. Thank you, Duke Vessalius, for your hospitality; I shall return to complete my tests in a day or two." He spun away from them, whirling toward the door. "Come Liam, let us make haste, I have a great amount of research to do on this great _hero!"_

Something deeply troubled fell over Oscar's expression. "Is he referring to your _first_ contractor, the one Zai was speaking of?"

Oz looked like he might be sick. "Yes." Gil gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze, but Oz merely took Gil's hand into his own and held it tightly.

"I see." Oscar sighed, his eyes dark with worry. He ruffled Oz's hair gently. "Why don't you boys get some rest? You've both been through quite a bit in the past twenty-four hours." Giving Gil's head a farewell pat, Oscar disappeared out into the hall.

His steps seemed rushed.

Swallowing, Gil reached around Oz to place the bucket and rags on the bedside table and stretched back into the pillows with a poorly concealed yawn. "I'm sorry again for what happened last night," he said quietly, curling onto the side that faced away from Oz. "I wish you'd _told_ me, but that's no excuse for some of the things I said. It was out of place."

There was a long moment of silence, long enough that Gil's eyes began to water in worry that Oz wouldn't forgive him, but finally, a pair of thin arms wound their way around his waist. Gil's heart ached with relief as Oz pulled him close, burying his face in his servant's hair.

"It's alright," he murmured, giving the raven a gentle squeeze. "I wasn't angry with you….I...was angry with myself…"

Gil immediately shifted, rolling onto his other side and starting slightly at how close his master was. Oz stared down at him in surprise.

Gil swallowed and gripped the front of Oz's shirt, curling into the blond's embrace. His forehead came to rest against Oz's throat, and the steady beat of his master's pulse calmed his lingering anxiety. "You didn't do _anything._ You were just trying to help, and I should've been nicer about it. Don't blame yourself for something I could've responded better to."

Oz closed his eyes, pulling Gil closer and resting his chin on his head with a quiet sigh. But Gil saw the tears Oz had tried to conceal. He smiled into Oz's chest, feeling the faint rumble of his voice roll up through his body.

"Thanks Gil."

* * *

As the days passed, Oscar's mood only seemed to grow darker and darker. Some mornings Oz would wake up shy and unsure of himself, painfully so, and Gil would spend the day trying to reassure him the he deserved their affection. The headaches were the worst on these days. Other days, Oz seemed to be gripped with a cool confidence, and would often spend the afternoon in the library reading.

It was on these days that Oscar appeared the most somber.

Gil's leg improved quickly; though not as quickly as Oz's injuries were, he often reminded himself rather bitterly.

Duke Barma stopped by once or twice to speak to Oscar, but for the most part, he seemed caught up in his research.

No matter the mood Oz was in during the day, each night he would curl up beside Gil, content to be beside his dear friend once again.

One morning, nearly a week after Oz's fall in the kitchen, Oscar allowed them to eat breakfast in their room, explaining that he had an important meeting to attend to and that _one time_ wouldn't hurt anyone.

Neither of the boys had voiced any complaints.

Gil stood, stretching slightly as he made his way over to the small coffee table where they'd left their plates. "I'll be right back," he said, bending to grab the dishes. "I should bring these to the kitchen so they can get washed before the food begins to dry on."

Something cold and sharp locked around his wrist.

Blinking, Gil turned, surprised to see Oz perched on the edge of the bed, his eyes narrowed and glittering strangely. Gil swallowed, glancing down at the chain that had wound around his arm.

"E-Er...What's this for?"

Oz smiled.

The chain suddenly tightened, jerking Gil to the side and forcing him against the wall. He gasped, trying to pull his arm free, but the metal was too strong.

Oz moved toward him gracefully, his steps slow and even, like a cat stalking its prey. "You really are too good, Gilbert. You always have been." His voice was silk. Oz stopped before him, meeting Gil's wide eyes evenly. There was nothing in his viridian gaze, only an endless void that seemed to suck Gil into its frightening depths.

"O-Oz…?"

"But see," Oz continued, reaching out a hand to stroke Gil's cheek. "That can only get you so far." The hand moved down along his jaw, tilting his head up to meet Oz's gaze. "You've grown useless, Gilbert. I don't need you anymore." The blond leaned close, warm breath ghosting over Gil's face.

"Your value's expired."

Oz's fingers closed around Gil's throat.

Gil choked out a gasp, struggling to wrench himself free of the fierce grip, but Oz was stronger than he'd expected.

"O-Oz—"

The grip tightened, emerald eyes flashing with mania. Gil pried helplessly at his friend's fingers with his free hand.

"P...Please….Oz…" Black spots danced at the edge of his vision. "...O-z…"

Oz laughed, a strange, soft laugh that seemed somehow...familiar….Like it was from a time long ago, one so far back in the recesses of his memory that he'd….forgotten….

The voice spoke again, muffled, distant.

Was this the present?

How could it be, when he _knew_ that voice—

"Oz isn't _here_ right now."


	12. Chapter Ten

**A/N: Ah, the story's coming to a close! I'm hoping to finish** ** _before_** **the end of October, because I want a little more time to invest in another story i'm working on for Halloween :)**

 **In regard to the sequel-there WILL be a sequel, I promise-I hope to have the first chapter of that out by December, as I'm going to be participating in NaNoWriMo this year O-O And that's going to take up the majority of my free time in November**

 **(Maybe I'll try to get a Thanksgiving oneshot out or something)**

 **I'm a little unsure of some of the writing in this chapter, because (especially at the beginning) this is how I usually write (filled with flowery adjectives :|) But I hope you all enjoy! Thank you for reading!**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original owners**

* * *

" _Oz isn't_ here _right now."_

* * *

 _What?_

Gil stared into those dead green eyes and somehow, he knew. He knew that the words this strange, familiar voice were speaking were true. He could feel it in his bones.

 _But...Where was Oz?_

Vision wavering, Gil jabbed his free elbow into Oz's collarbone. The blond grunted, his grip slipping just enough for Gil to push him back. The chain remained tight around his arm, locking it in place, but Gilbert's legs buckled and he slid down, gasping for breath.

Oz had stumbled into the table, surprisingly unsteady on his feet despite the weakness of Gil's push. He paused a moment, breathing hard. One hand shot his temple, digging angrily into his hair. Gil watched him curiously, suddenly aware of the faint headache pounding at the back of his mind. He'd ridden it off as light-headedness, but it seemed Oz was feeling it too….

"Shhh, just give in, Oz." came the smooth murmur. Gil's eyes widened. "I'll kill him, and then you won't have anything to worry about anymore. You'll finally be able to rest in peace…."

A sudden wave of anguish surged through Gil's chest, and he realized with surprise that it must belong to Oz.

 _So...the aching…._ Gil stiffened. This person was suppressing Oz's energy!

Growling softly, Gilbert gave the chain around his wrist a sharp tug. It came loose in Oz's distraction, and Gil yanked his hand free. "Who are you?"

Empty eyes met his gaze, dark amusement flickering inside. "Why, don't you _remember_ me, little Gilbert?" Oz straightened, scythe materializing in one hand. He was suddenly before Gil, the intensity of his look enough to freeze Gil's blood.

"My name is Jack."

Hot, rushing pain tore into his head, clouding his thoughts with images of a tall, blond man, those same green eyes smiling down at him so kindly. Yet all of these images felt distorted somehow, like they were stained with blood.

Crying out sharply, Gil managed to roll away from the first swing of the scythe, backing himself into a corner and tearing his fingers through his hair. The flashes of memory _burned,_ molting and terrible through his mind, hotter still as he attempted to push them away.

 _No…._

 _I don't...want...to remember…._

 _I don't want to remember…._

"I don't want to remember!" The words came out as a tattered sob, tearing through his raw throat like sandpaper.

Jack laughed, a soft, melodic laugh, so similar to Oz's own melody and yet so lifeless it _hurt_ Gil's ears to _listen—_

"Do you feel it, Oz? The agony you've caused your poor Gilbert? _Look at what you've done—"_

"Shut up!" Gil choked out, horrified by the wretched despair that surged through his body. This man...had he been whispering such lies into his master's heart all along? "How _dare_ you blame him for your own actions? Oz, no….No, no...this wasn't...you didn't do anything, I _swear it!"_

Jack smiled, a smooth, beautiful smile that twisted unease into Gilbert's veins. The pounding in his head had faded to almost nonexistence. "Oz, _please…."_ It was nothing more than a broken whimper. Oz's hopelessness still writhed through Gil's heart.

Before Gilbert had time to blink, a chain whizzed through the air, slicing painfully across his cheek. He gasped, shrinking back against the wall.

Jack stepped forward, spreading his arms, his smile serene. "Well, I really am sorry Gilbert, but you've outlived your usefulness. I'm afraid you need to die."

The chains came faster, whipping past him to pierce the wall. One managed to find his shoulder, tearing through painfully. He couldn't stop the cry that escaped him. Another slashed across his temple, a faint trickle of blood dripping down into his eye. He blinked furiously, his vision clearing just in time to make out the image of Jack standing before him, scythe raised mercilessly.

Gil was frozen, unable to move, unable to blink, as the scythe moved in a graceful arc toward his head.

 _This is it, I'm going to die—_

The blade swept just over his head, the rush of air whipping his hair. A few cut strands floated down past his face.

Oz made a strangled sound, stumbling back into the table with a clatter. He sank to the floor, eyes wide. The noise startled Gil out of his disbelieving stupor.

"I-I...Oz?" His voice shook. His hands shook as he brought them to his face. His legs shook as he tried to sit up straighter, and he sank to the ground, resting his head back against the wall in astonishment. "O-Oz?"

The blond didn't seem to be able to hear him, hands pressed to his mouth. His breathing was ragged and quick. Worry pricked at Gil's heart, but his trembling limbs refused to allow him to move.

"Hey, Oz?"

 _Was_ it Oz? Or was Jack still fighting for control? Gil assumed the only reason he was still alive was because Oz had pushed Jack out of the way in time to adjust the swing, what was the repercussion of that action? Had Jack hurt him somehow? Gil's stomach churned anxiously.

"Oz? Hey, a-are you alright?" His own heart was still pounding.

Oz let out a low wail, burying his face in his hands. Alarmed, Gil crawled toward him, reaching out to brush his shoulder gently. Oz jerked away, scrambling back with a cry.

Startled, Gil pulled back. "O-Oz?"

"S-Stay….Stay away from me…." Oz's eyes were glazed with horror, his pupils blown wide. Gil reached forward again, brows furrowed in worry.

" _Please!"_ Oz choked, "I don't want to _hurt_ you!"

Gil froze. Oz's face was deathly white. He looked like he might be sick.

"I…." Gil broke off. "It's okay, you...you didn't, I promise…"

"I almost _killed_ you!"

Gil blinked. He'd almost died. His mind felt numb.

He reached out again, this time catching Oz's wrist. His skin was startlingly cold, pulse racing through his veins.

Gil's eyes widened. "Hey—"

"I-I…almost..." Oz whimpered, hand flying to his mouth just in time as his body convulsed, fighting the urge to wretch. Gil immediately grabbed one of the bowls from the table, holding it out for his master to take. Oz stared at him, aghast.

Gil scowled. "You didn't, I'm still here and in one piece." He swallowed thickly. "Besides, that wasn't _you_ Oz, that was Jack."

Oz shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. "I...I….almost—"

"Stop it!" cried Gil, folding the shivering blond into his arms. He buried his face in Oz's hair, hiding the tears that had begun to slip down his own cheeks. "Just...stop…."

Stiffening, Oz tried to pull himself away, but his movements were weak.

Finally, he relaxed into Gil's embrace. "You're bleeding," he mumbled suddenly, pulling back slightly to brush the blood from Gil's cheek. His eyes watered.

"It's okay," said Gil quietly, hoping to stop the tears before they began to fall again. "It's okay."

Oz looked away.

* * *

Oz's headaches were worse than ever.

He would disappear occasionally, and Gilbert wouldn't find him until hours later, curled up under the bed or in one of the wardrobes, face buried in his hands.

He had to admit, there was always an inkling of fear that Oz might attack him again nagging at the back of his mind. He had a feeling Oz could sense this, for the blond had been keeping his distance.

This particular morning, Oz had remained in bed instead of coming to breakfast. His eyes were glazed, his expression vacant.

Gilbert had left him to rest, hurrying out into the forest to get some apples, in order to _finally_ make some apple crisps in the hope of cheering up his master.

The weather was warm for fall, soft sunlight giving the forest a golden glow. The path to the apple trees seemed much shorter in the daylight, and Gilbert was pleased to find what he needed so quickly.

The manor was nearly in view when he felt it.

His vision blurred for a moment as the world tilted, spinning and flashing around him as he fought off the sudden rush of vertigo. Heavy exhaustion dragged at his limbs, and he was forced to stop to catch his breath.

Nauseous anxiety churned in his gut.

Something was wrong with Oz.

His pushed himself to run through the weariness, and as the manor came into sight, Gil was startled to find three black carriages waiting outside.

He ran faster.

There was a crowd of servants, but from the top of the hill, he could just make out the little blond head of Oz, as he was lead from the manor in chains.

The apple basket slipped from his hands, and he was running.

"L-Lord Oscar," he gasped, stumbling to a stop beside the grim-faced duke. "What's happening?"

"Someone told Pandora we had the B-Rabbit here," said Oscar quietly.

Gil stared at him in horror. "What're they going to do?"

Oscar chewed his lip, running an anxious hand through his hair. "I'm not sure, the man I talked to mentioned something about running some tests—"

"Is this chain contracted?" The voice was low and soft, the Pandora agent who spoke the words looking as though this were his first assignment. The two men holding Oz's chains were just passing by, and Oz stumbled.

Gil and Oscar exchanged an anxious glance.

"Is he alright?" Oscar's voice was sharp.

Oz glanced at them, his eyes widening slightly at the sight of Gil. His face was flushed, his breath shaky and ragged in his chest.

"These chains are sealed," said one of the men, lifting his chain. To Gil's horror, it was connected to a clasp around Oz's throat, and the blond's head was forced up as the man tugged. "They suppress his energy."

"Is this chain contracted?" repeated the first agent. He glanced nervously at Oz, as though worried he might spring at him.

Gil grit his teeth, opening his mouth to inform him that yes, _Oz_ had a contractor, and that he wouldn't hesitate to call on his abilities if they continued to treat his master in such a way, but Oz cut him off.

"No, I'm not contracted to anyone." His eyes were fire as he glared at Gil, daring him to object.

"That's right," said Oscar quietly, clapping a hand down onto Gil's shoulder. "He hasn't managed to find a contractor yet."

Gil stared up at the duke in shock.

The man nodded, writing something down in a small notebook. "Thank you, I appreciate your time."

Oscar dipped his head.

The men began to move forward again, each giving their chain a small jerk and causing Oz to stumble.

Gil growled lowly. Oz sent him a glance, his eyes dark with something unreadable.

"Don't worry," he said quietly, allowing the men to pull him away, one leading him by the neck and the other following, keeping his hands locked in place behind his back.

Gil swallowed down his burning anger long enough to send Oz a small nod.

* * *

"Lord Oscar...why would Oz say that he didn't have a contractor?"

The duke sighed quietly, setting down his fork. The candlelight cast flickering shadows over his face. "Your seal is very special, Gil. If Pandora knew that you were the contractor of the mighty B-Rabbit, they'd take you and lock you away so you couldn't hurt anyone, maybe even run a few tests; B-Rabbit was never recorded to have a contractor before. But, if they saw your seal….a few tests would be mild compared to what would be in store for you. Oz was trying to protect you."

"I see," Gil murmured, staring down at his plate. Suddenly he wasn't hungry anymore. "Do you know who ratted us out to Pandora?"

"I'm afraid not," said Oscar. He took a small sip of wine. "I have a suspicion that it might've been Zai."

Gil swallowed. If that was true, what if Zai bribed Pandora to do away with Oz? From what Oscar had told him, Zai Vessalius could be very influential.

"I'm sure he'll be alright for the night."

Gil glanced up, anxiously meeting Oscar's reassuring gaze. The duke seemed to have guessed what he was thinking.

"I haven't felt anything so far…." Gil's fists clenched in his lap. "I'm not sure if that means he's alright or if he's in more danger than we thought…"

Oscar nodded. "I understand. I promise we'll go visit in the morning." He smiled. "They _should_ let us observe any testing they do, and if they don't….Break and I will have something to say about it."

"Xerxes Break?"

"Mm-hmm. He and Liam are going help us find our way around." He sent Gil a small wink. "If I remember correctly, I believe Duke Barma said he might make an appearance for our case as well."

Gil attempted to give the duke a smile, but from Oscar's expression, he was certain it came off as more of a grimace.

* * *

Pandora Headquarters was much larger than Gil had expected, filled and bustling with people. The entrance room was large, a magnificent chandelier casting a glow over two tall staircases that lead to the second floor rooms. There was a section of offices, and near that, a mailroom, filled with young agents scurrying to tidy up the place. Xerxes Break was leaning against the wall near it, a placid smirk stretched over his features.

Oscar clapped him on the back with a cheerful smile. "How are you today, Xerxes?"

"I'm doing rather well, actually," said the man, leading them to a large door. "M'Lady wasn't too upset with me for missing out on our morning chess, so I believe I might just get off easy for once." He chuckled.

They made their way down a long corridor, smooth marble and carpet eventually becoming rough stone.

"Where's Liam?" Oscar wondered, as Break grabbed a lantern and began to lead them down a steep stone staircase.

"He and Barma will be along shortly."

The staircase opened out into another tunnel, this one lit only by small lanterns placed along the walls. Gil swallowed. It was cold down here.

He prayed Oz was alright.

At last, the corridor opened out into a small room, half of which was blocked by a wall of metal bars. Behind them, crumpled in a circle of sealing stones, was the limp form of Oz Vessalius.

Gil rushed to the bars without thinking, sinking to his knees and peering through desperately. Oz appeared to be unconscious, or at least sleeping. His hands were still tied behind his back, but Gil couldn't see they metal collar anymore, something for which he found himself to be immensely grateful.

He could feel the eyes of the others on his back, but Gil paid them no mind, settling on his knees, hands locked around the bars in a white knuckled grip, gazing through like he was observing a tiger at the zoo.

* * *

Oz stirred.

Gil leaned in, watching with baited breath as his master shifted, emerald eyes opening a crack. Oscar and Break had gone to find some lunch, promising to bring something back for Gil when he'd refused to leave Oz's side.

Groaning softly, Oz blinked sluggishly at him, eyes glazed over. Gil waited for him to say something, but the blond seemed content to watch him in silence.

Now that Oz was awake, Gilbert could once again feel that nagging weariness tugging at his bones. He understood now that it was from the sealing stones; their power was blocking Oz's energy.

Maybe Oz was too tired to do anything more than watch him?

Sighing softly, Gil leaned in close to the bars. "I know this probably won't be your favorite thing to hear, but when you're sleeping….you really look more vulnerable than I ever see you otherwise." He smiled to himself. "It's funny...when you sleep….it's almost like I can see both parts of you at once. On one hand, you're strong, cheerful Oz, and on the other….I can see how much B-Rabbit is suffering."

The blond's eyes slid to the side, drooping slightly.

Gil wasn't sure if he was even aware enough to hear and understand, but he continued on, talking just for the sake of calming his own frayed nerves.

"I still didn't get a chance to make you those apple crisps like I wanted to….I'm sorry…" He glanced away. "I'm also sorry I wasn't there when they came for you. I hope they didn't hurt you." His voice grew quiet. "Were you scared?"

Again, Oz did not reply, merely watching Gil with apparent disinterest. His breathing was labored, loud in the quiet of the dungeon. His golden hair was splayed across the floor like a fallen halo.

"I—"

Gil began, but was cut off by a sudden, "Hey, what're you doing in here, kid?" Someone grabbed his arm from behind, yanking him upward painfully. Gil yelped.

There was a sharp gasp as a chain shot between the bars, skewering Gilbert's assailant's shoulder. Blood spattered Gil's cheek.

Gil stared at Oz in shock. The blond had pushed himself up onto one shoulder, his gaze murderous and breathing harsh. As suddenly as it had appeared, the blaze in his eyes was gone again, and Oz's body fell back to the stones with a thud. Gil winced. Oz's wrists were still tied behind his back, leaving nothing to soften the impact. He was still panting heavily from the exertion, eyes dull and unfocused.

Growling angrily, the Pandora agent stumbled away from Gilbert, pressing one hand to his injured shoulder. "You'll pay for this, you stupid chain," he snapped, vanishing into the darkness of the hall.

Gil swallowed. "Thank you," he said thickly, "but I hope you didn't cause yourself more trouble because you tried to help me…"

Again, Oz did not reply. He watched Gilbert lifelessly.

* * *

"So...do you know the purpose of these tests?" Liam wondered, settling himself down between Gil and Break on one of the visitors' couches. Barma stood behind the group, his expression unreadable.

Oscar shrugged. "I'm not _entirely_ sure, but I would assume they're attempting to test his abilities in some way. The B-Rabbit hasn't been sighted outside the Abyss in a hundred years, I'm sure there's a lot Pandora wants to study."

"The fools!" Barma scoffed from behind them. "His power could ravage this building, along with everything within a three-mile radius if he so wished. What they _should_ be studying is his past, how he came to be, why he caused the Tragedy, things that will actually be _important_ to know later."

Gil took an anxious bite of the cookie Oscar had brought him. They were seated before a large dirt floor, surrounded by a circle of bars. Whatever Pandora had planned, it seemed big.

"Lords Vessalius and Barma," called a man, stepping into the center of the cage. "We are going to be testing the powers of the B-Rabbit. It is not customary to be allowed to view these tests, so please understand the privilege that you have been given upon your request."

Barma huffed out an "I told you so!"

Gil swallowed.

Oz was pushed unceremoniously into the cage, his legs nearly buckling beneath him, unused to being free of the sealing stones.

The tall man hurried out, snapping his fingers. Immediately, the ground began to glow, a giant skeletal paw reaching up out of the ground as the chain climbed from the Abyss.

It was huge, made entirely of bones, its body taking the shape of what appeared to be a large bear. It lumbered forward, jaw dropped and fangs bared, but Oz ducked out of the way.

The creature turned swiftly, slashing out with a paw, the attack narrowly swiping over Oz's head and stirring his hair. Gil's heart thudded frantically against his chest.

Oz was quick, dodging attack after attack, but he still seemed weary, the lingering effect of the stones still resonating through Gil's bones. Finally, the chain managed to catch him across the arm with its claws, blood blossoming in their wake and staining the tatters of Oz's shirt. He gasped, stumbling slightly.

Gil grit his teeth, gripping his own arm. The wound felt deep. Oz's steps were wavering, his teeth digging into his lower lip to keep from crying out as he dodged again and his arm was jostled. The dirt floor was muddy with blood.

Oz's steps were slowing, his breath growing more labored by the second.

What was he doing? He was losing too much blood to draw the fight out like this! Gil's fists clenched with worry.

The bear jabbed at him again, this time managing to catch him with the back of a paw, the force of the blow slamming him hard against the bars. Oz crumpled.

Gil's stomach twisted uncomfortably. The blond looked like a marionette whose strings had been abruptly cut. Hard pain rolled along down through Gil's spine, his vision blurring slightly as Oz struggled feebly to push himself to his feet.

The bear roared, charging forward with sudden and alarming speed. Suddenly Gil couldn't breathe, the train of events that were about to happen playing through his mind like broken film, slowing at the most gruesome places, allowing him to watch the agony tear across Oz's features.

 _He couldn't take it anymore._

" _Fight back, Oz!"_ Gil screamed, leaping to his feet, heart thundering in his chest. The bear was drawing nearer, jaws open and ready to tear into his master's flesh. It descended upon him with a snarl.

Oz's wide eyes locked with his own.


	13. Chapter Eleven

**A/N:** I'm sorry this took me so long! I wrote a PH oneshot for Halloween called Night, it's over on my account Moonlit Fall. (I honestly think that's what killed my motivation to write this XD After I wrote it I just had this crazy urge to draw and do nothing else, and since this is somewhat of an important chapter I didn't want to work on it unless the writing was good. I ended up butchering it anyway, and so I'll probably rewrite this chapter after NaNoWriMo.

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original creators

* * *

Almost faster than Gil could even comprehend, Oz's body jerked, the scythe flying upwards and tearing through the chain's throat. Gil stared in shock as the body disintegrated, but no sooner than the beast had turned to dust, another portal was opening, another chain crawling out.

Oz dodged the initial flurry of attacks, stumbling slightly in his light-headedness. Gil sat down slowly, eyes wide, brows furrowed in confusion. Oscar's large hand fell heavily onto his shoulder.

"Gil, you genius! Thank you!" Oscar's eyes were shining with pride and relief.

"H-Huh?"

"You gave him a command! He was forced to follow your orders because of the contract."

Gil's blood ran cold.

 _A command?_

Oz leapt to the side just in time to avoid the next blow, swinging his scythe at the large Card with deadly accuracy. The creature gave an ear-splitting roar as its arm was severed, the limb falling to the floor even as it crumbled.

Gil watched him in stunned horror. _Had he…given_ Oz _an_ order?

Oz grit his teeth, panting audibly. The chain's other hand flashed forward, locking around the blond before he had time to duck away. Oz cried out weakly, struggling to breathe through the suffocating grip. Gil gasped, doubling over and sticking his head between his knees to block out the crushing pain in his chest.

His vision swam for a moment, and Gil raised his head just in time to see the flurry of silver chains that pierced the beast. One managed to tear through the Card's arm, sending Oz to the ground with a thud as the limb disappeared. He lay limply, coughing and trembling as air was allowed to flow back into his lungs.

Gil watched anxiously, his gaze torn between his battered master and the chain as it prepared to lunge once more. Oz was ready for the attack, rolling onto his back just in time to pierce the Card's belly. The creature vanished with a shriek of agony, disintegrating into a pile of dust and purple light.

Gil felt nauseous. He could see the dull gleam in his master's eyes, even from such a distance. He really _had_ given Oz an order, for sweet, gentle Oz valued life _far_ too much to take it with such vicious fervor.

The tall agent who had announced the test stood once more, signalling for his men to chain Oz again. The blond did not resist, his body trembling so hard Gil wasn't sure if he would even have been able to stand on his own.

"Take him to the infirmary and bandage his arm," said the agent, snapping his fingers briskly at his men. "Meet us in the memory room." The others gave a sharp salute, leading a stumbling Oz down one of the long corridors.

"The memory room?" Oscar wondered, his brow furrowing into a slight frown.

Liam stepped forward, tipping his head respectfully to the older agent. "Sir, I would like to request that Xerxes and myself record the results of this test. These _are_ the memories of a noble, you see, and I think the Vessalius household would take offense to strangers pouring through their heir's mind."

Gil stiffened. They were planning to look through Oz's memories?

The tall agent scowled faintly. "But—"

"And," Liam continued, cutting over the other man, "Lords Vessalius and Barma _are_ prominent and trusted members of the organization, are they not? Surely you can allow us to view B-Rabbit's memories privately?"

The man sighed, hanging his head in resignation. "I...suppose that'll be alright, as long as you're unbiased as you record the results." He held out his clipboard for Liam to take. Xerxes Break sauntered forward, his lips pulled into a smirk.

"Oh, of course! What purpose could we possibly have for altering such data?" He took the clipboard with a flourish.

" _Wouldn't dream of doing such a thing!"_ The doll on his shoulder chimed in. Gil shuddered. For some reason, Break just really gave him the creeps.

The man sighed once more, turning and motioning for them to follow him. This corridor seemed darker than the others, the stone even more weathered and beaten, as though the hall had been built far earlier. They came to a stop at a large door. The agent handed Liam a key.

"I'll wait here."

The brunet gave the man a curt nod and proceeded to lead them into the darkened room. Oz was curled on the floor, surrounded once again by a collection of sealing stones. He was unconscious, Gil realized, for he couldn't feel the drag of weariness pulling at his bones.

He swallowed.

Liam must've sensed his anxiety; he turned to send Gil a reassuring smile.

"What's going to happen?" Gil asked quietly, somehow afraid to break the heavy silence that seemed to have settled over the room.

Liam sighed, moving to stand beside a handle on the wall. "They're trying to determine whether or not he's going to go crazy and kill everyone based on the things he's done in the past."

Oscar frowned. "What does that mean?"

Liam turned the handle, eyebrows pulling together slightly into an expression Gilbert recognized as anxiety. "We're going to look through his memories, and if it turns out he's murdered people before, he'll be condemned by Pandora."

Gil gasped.

"That's what Break and I are here for!" said Liam quickly, "We're going to make sure that Pandora doesn't find anything they can use against him."

Gil bit his lip. They were supposed to put Oz's fate in Break's hands?

A door opened near the sealing stones, a small chain slipping out into the room. It was shaped like a bat, Gil realized, except it was entirely transparent. A faint trail of blue light followed wherever it went.

"It belongs to the man out in the hall," Break explained, giving Emily a nudge. "Kind of a pathetic-looking chain for such a stern man, don't you think?"

Oscar laughed, but it held a nervous edge.

What would they find?

The little bat chain flew over to where Oz was, hovering over him for a moment before coming to rest on his forehead.

"Ready?" asked Liam.

At Oscar's thumbs up, the brunet nodded at the bat. Immediately, the room around them vanished, and the group found themselves standing inside what Gilbert recognized as Oz's room in the Vessalius mansion.

The room was dark, curtains drawn to keep out the light.

Gil blinked, his eyes struggling to adjust. "What—"

"Gil—" The voice was small, weak. Gil froze, his gaze flashing to the bed, where a tiny hand was reaching out from beneath the covers. The hand paused, blankets shifting back as Oz raised his head slightly. "Oh." He buried his face in the pillow, golden hair splayed around him.

"That's right….I made him leave…" Oz let out a faint whimper. "He probably hates me now….he and Ada were both crying…I'm so _stupid…"_

Gil stared at the tiny form of his master, looking even smaller surrounded by so many blankets. This was….when Oz had been sick and had fallen out in the wheat field. He'd refused to let Gil stay with him, worried he might get sick too.

Was this what Oz had done while he was alone? Blamed himself for something that had been out of his control? Gil felt sick.

"Stupid….stupid...I'm so stupid…."

The room around them changed. This time, an older Oz was curled in a chair, face buried in his knees. The snow fell gently outside the windows.

Gil swallowed. This must've been during the time he'd been locked in the basement.

"I…" Oz's voice shook, "...should never have been born."

" _Oz no—"_ Gil lunged toward him, stomach churning with horror. He couldn't _bear_ to hear those words again, especially not from _Oz's_ lips—

The scene shifted.

Gil stumbled, disoriented, as the room turned to beautiful green trees. He turned to glance at Oscar, who was watching him with dark, sad eyes. He looked pale.

Gil was about to say something, but he broke off at the sound of footsteps drawing nearer. He stiffened, startled, as Oz darted into the clearing, laughing wildly, stirring the deadfall.

There was a faint call of "Young Master!" as little Gil struggled to keep up.

Suddenly Oz faltered, just barely managing to catch himself against a tree before he could truly fall. Gil frowned. Had he tripped on something? Oscar hummed softly from behind him.

Oz straightened, brows furrowing slightly, as though he himself couldn't quite understand what had happened. He pressed a hand to his head. "C-Come on Gil, you're so slow! I'll leave you out here all alone if you can't catch up!"

He turned, sprinting off into the brush, but he seemed unsteady.

Gil and Oscar exchanged a confused glance.

Trees became walls once more; weathered stone, crumbling from age. The room was dark, soft candlelight casting flickering shadows onto the walls.

Oz hung, suspended by his wrists, his shirt tattered and soaked with blood. Gil sucked in a sharp breath. Oz's chest was marred by the huge gash he had watched Lottie carve into his master's skin.

The blond stirred, a weak groan escaping him. Green eyes opened slowly, glazed with pain and confusion. Oz blinked. "I-I'm...alive?"

There was an echoing clang, and the sound of shoes clipping the ground.

" _Listen to me."_

The voice was smooth, echoing all around them. Gil stiffened, a sudden chill running down his spine. That was the voice of Jack, the man who had used Oz's body to attack him!

"H-Huh?" Oz's voice was hoarse.

" _The Baskervilles are planning to test you. They're afraid of what you are, why you survived. You will die if you don't listen to me."_

Oz scowled. "What makes you think I would choose to live?"

A sudden projection appeared before them, transparent in the darkness.

Oz was there, but there was a tall, blond man beside him, arms twisting around him from behind, tangling in his hair.

Oz's physical body gasped.

" _What will Gilbert do without you?"_

Gil's brows furrowed. _What?_ That didn't sound like the same Jack.

"He...doesn't need me anymore. Oscar and Ada will take care of him." Oz let out a bitter chuckle. "Besides, all of this was entirely my fault, they aren't even going to search for me."

The footsteps were drawing nearer.

Jack's voice grew urgent. " _Gilbert is loyal, he wouldn't abandon you! Don't abandon him!"_

Oz looked startled. "I-I'm not—"

The door opened, rusted and squeaking on it's hinges. Zwei stepped into the room, her eyes narrowed. "Who were you talking to?"

"N-No one! I was just...thinking out loud…"

Zwei tilted her head, stepping closer. "Already crazy? That's no fun…" A quiet laugh escaped her. "Hey, tell me _Oz_...why….are you still alive? You aren't a Baskerville…." She leaned in, catching his chin in one hand, "...so what are you?"

Oz stared at her. "I…"

" _Tell her you know where Vincent is."_

Speaking without thinking, the words tumbled from Oz's lips. "I-I know where Vincent is!"

Interest overtook Zwei's features. "Do you? Where is he, Ozzy, tell me?" She tilted his face upward.

" _He's with the Nightrays."_

Oz repeated the phrase in a rush.

Zwei smiled, something dark and twisted creeping over her features. "Thank you, _Jack._ " She turned on her heel, nearly bouncing from the room. Oz watched her go in confusion.

"Jack? Is that your name?"

The translucent man smiled. " _My name is Jack Vessalius."_

Oscar gasped.

"Just as I thought," said Barma sombrely from behind them. "I'm afraid we are all in grave danger."

Gil frowned. _Jack Vessalius_ , the hero of the tragedy? Oz's ancestor? This was the man who had attacked him so viciously?

Scenes flashed before their eyes; days passing, Oz speaking with Jack, alone in the darkness, calling out to the man for comfort when he couldn't sleep for worry of what the Baskervilles might do to his family. And, surprisingly, Jack was there for him. He comforted Oz in his loneliness and fear, reassured him to quell his worries.

Gil felt sick with anxiety.

Something was about to go horribly wrong.

And it did, when Zai Vessalius sauntered into the room.

Oz looked up in shock, a sudden, pitiful hope lifting his expression. "F-Father!"

Zai did not break his stride, stopping only when he was a mere foot from Oz. "Speak with me, Jack."

Oz rambled on, his eyes shining with relieved tears. "F-Father, how did you find me? I-I'm so so-rry f-for getting myself into this mess, for troubling you, I—"

Zai's cane whipped hard against Oz's cheek. "Shut up, I wasn't talking to you."

Oz's head had been knocked to the side by the force of the impact; he was frozen, eyes wide with shock and horror.

Gil couldn't breathe. _No, not like this...Zai couldn't—_

The transparent Jack pushed Oz aside. Oz fell back limply, numb.

"Zai."

Zai dipped his head, leaning forward on his cane. "What is it that you hope to achieve? More deaths? More destruction?"

Oz smiled, a dark smile that belonged entirely to Jack. "I'm going to bring this world to the Abyss."

Oscar gasped sharply. "Surely he can't mean…"

Zai lifted his cane once more, eyes flashing with horror and disgust. Before he had the chance to swing, Jack's eyes narrowed, and a chain darted forward and knocked it from the duke's grasp.

As Zai bent to pick it up, more appeared, speeding toward him, slashing his fine suit. Incorporeal Oz reached up shakily, catching the back of Jack's coat and giving a sharp tug.

" _Wait, stop! Don't hurt him!"_

" _Shut up, Oz."_

" _N-No! This is my body! I won't let you—"_

Jack whirled on him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to the ground. " _You're such a brat, Oz….let me show you….just how wrong you are."_

Jack pushed harder, Oz's body sinking down through the floor, his eyes wide with terror.

The scene faded, changing once again.

Flames licked at the walls, smoke rolling through the halls, over _piles_ of bodies, the floor slick with blood.

Gil stared at them, their faces frozen in one last expression of fear. _No..._ It was so familiar... _achingly familiar….No...I don't want to remember…._

Oz stood up slowly, his face pale. "Where…?"

Jack appeared behind him, still smiling widely. "Sablier."

Suddenly, the room around them flickered, blurring for a moment, and the scene shifted to Jack, standing before a tall, dark-haired man. A huge rabbit crouched, waiting.

"—My chain. Oz, the B-Rabbit."

Oz frowned. "Huh? Why is its name….Oz?" He gave a slight shake of his head. "That's….not me!"

There was a sharp cry of a man's name, but it was warped, distant. Gil couldn't make it out. Red cloaked Baskervilles raced into the room.

Jack smiled. "Oz."

"N-No wait!" cried Oz, as the rabbit lurched into action. He was trembling violently. "I don't want to kill them!" He looked startled by his own words, but the rabbit's screams could be made out through the crying of the Baskervilles as they were torn to shreds.

 _I don't want to kill them!_

 _I DON'T WANT TO KILL THEM!_

Oz gasped, his knees buckling. "I...No….that's right...I-I'm…..Oz...the B-Rabbit…" He stared down at his hands in horror, as though they were soaked with the blood of the innocent. Gil wondered if, to him, they were.

Oz buried his face in his hands.

The memory spun, and the little group found themselves engulfed in darkness once more.

"The one...who _caused_ the Tragedy….was Jack Vessalius?" Oscar's voice was trembling.

Barma hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, I believe so. Although…" He frowned at Liam. "Some of that memory appeared to be blocked, do you know why?"

Liam shook his head, brows furrowed in concern. "I felt it too, but I can't think of anything that could be worse than those murders. I wonder what Oz didn't want us to see?"

"What do you mean?" asked Gil.

Barma closed his eyes. "The memory changed. We skipped a scene. There's something Oz didn't allow us to watch…"

Break tilted his head, eyes glinting slightly as he looked Gil over. "Maybe he was….protecting someone…?"

Barma met his gaze sharply.

Baron Henry appeared, and the darkness slowly melted away to reveal a plush sitting room. Oz stood beside the baron, his head lowered. A young woman sat across from them, her eyes narrowed to slits.

"...Yes, Dutchess, my chain is very disobedient on occasion. I would be eternally grateful if you and your chain would teach him a lesson for me."

Oz's clasped hands tightened. Gil bit his lip anxiously.

The woman nodded, clicking her tongue. Oz jerked, gasping, as the world around them spun.

Suddenly Oz was alone in darkness. Gil watched, startled, as what appeared to be himself stepped out of the shadows. Oz blinked.

"Gil?"

The look-alike smiled. "Young Master, you're alright!" He hurried forward, pulling Oz into a tight hug. Oz grunted, surprised by the affection, although it almost sounded like he was in pain.

The real Gil frowned. Was Oz hurt somewhere? And….did he…really believe that illusion was Gil?

"G-Gil….I'm...so sorry! I'm so sorry for everything that happened, I—"

"I-It's alright!" Gil's voice sounded teary. "I'm not mad, Young Master, I'm just so, so happy that you're safe!"

" _Gil,"_ Oz pulled back to see his servant's face, his own eyes watering. "I—"

Gilbert's head hit the floor with a squelch.

Oz's smile froze on his face.

The body fell forward limply into Oz's arms, blood gushing over the front of his shirt as he stumbled back, sucking in a shuddering gasp.

A single chain hovered above, slick with blood.

Oz made a strangled sound, his legs giving out completely beneath him. He _crumpled._

Gil stared, horrified, at the trembling form of his master, nausea rising up inside him at the sight of his own fallen head. His breath was rasping, quick, desperation tugging at his chest. He _needed_ to comfort Oz, show him that he was still here, and he would never leave him alone like this again.

But this was a memory. These horrific events had already passed.

Gil felt dizzy with despair.

Oz pressed a hand to his mouth, holding back a sob. The head and body disappeared, replaced by another, living, Gilbert. Oz didn't seem to notice until the raven's hand struck his cheek.

"G-Gil!" he sounded like he might be sick, shakily getting to his feet and nearly tackling his valet into a desperate hug."

The illusion shoved him away. "Don't touch me, you filth!"

Oz stiffened. "Wha—"

Gil slapped him once more. "Shut up! You don't deserve to speak to me, you murderer! You demon!"

Oz shrank back, his eyes wide, pained. "Gil…"

And suddenly they were all there around him; Gil, Oscar, Ada, tattered bodies soaked in their own blood. Oz gasped, pressing his fingers to his mouth, only to let out a choked cry as he realized that he too, was covered in blood, the scythe materializing beside him.

 _Murderer!_

 _Demon!_

 _Filth!_

"N-No…" Oz shook his head, digging his fingers into his hair, a wretched sob tearing from his throat. " _Don't leave me alone! P-Please! I love you, you can't….No—"_

The memory cut out abruptly.

Gil sank to his knees, burning with nauseous rage. _This_ was how his beloved master had been treated? _This_ was what Oz had suffered through? Gil felt a fresh wave of guilt for the role he had played in Oz's kidnapping.

If only he had stayed…

Oscar's hand fell heavily onto his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Gil sucked in a shaky breath. "I'll….be okay. What about you Master Oscar?" The duke's face was pale.

"Well, I just found out that my childhood hero was a murderer who's been tormenting my nephew. That's a revelation I have to admit I was never expecting." He frowned slightly. "But, that obviously wasn't the entirety of his memories. They honestly seemed somewhat random…" Oscar glanced at Barma.

The man smiled. "Pandora was searching specifically for memories containing influences of B-Rabbit's power and his contractor." Barma snapped his fingers. "Liam, read me your report."

"The crimes committed by the Bloodstained Black Rabbit during the tragedy were all directly influenced by his contractor at that time, a man who always remained in the shadows. B-Rabbit himself does not know his true identity." Liam sent Gil a knowing smile.

Oscar chuckled. "That's well-worded. Are you sure Pandora has no way of knowing the truth?"

Break pulled a lollipop from somewhere inside his uniform. "I know Pandora very well, and I know they're all idiots. They trust high figures like you and Barma implicitly. Even if Zai remains behind the scenes influencing their decisions, a declaration that this is truth by both of you will override him."

Emily chuckled. " _What fools!"_

Gil let out a relieved sigh. Things would be alright.

His fists clenched.

And, now that he knew some of the things that had been done to Oz, Gil vowed to himself that he would never allow his master to be hurt in any way _ever_ again.

 _Ever._


	14. Chapter Twelve

**A/N: Last Chapter! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you like it...**

 **The sequel will be posted sometime in December, I believe, and It'll be on** ** _my_** **account, Moonlit Fall. I'll probably update this with the name when it comes out, so if you're interested, keep watch!**

 **There's also a part in this chapter that isn't my favorite so I might fix it sometime, but idk :T**

 **I'm off to NaNo :)**

 _ **EDIT: The sequel prologue is up, its called Will You Stay?**_

 ** _I also might be updating some of the chapters in this story with small edits to fix fluency, maybe a few plot details too, but they won't be major._**

 **DISCLAIMER: Everything belongs to its original creators**

* * *

Oz was curled beneath a mountain of blankets, his expression relaxed. Gil smiled to himself, grateful that his master was finally able to get some rest. Oz had been exhausted upon his release from Pandora, so Oscar had insisted he try to sleep through the carriage ride home. He'd tried, but had been woken constantly by what sounded like terrible nightmares.

He'd refused to describe them to Gil when the raven had asked.

Gil sighed quietly, watching the moon begin to climb above the horizon through a crack in the curtains. Oz would be hungry when he woke up, he decided, standing slowly and stretching.

The house was silent; most of its occupants had already retired for the night. Gil relished the stillness, glad for the sense of peace that filled him. Soft moonlight cast a gentle glow through the halls.

The servants' kitchen was still a mess from whatever had been prepared for Ada and Zai's dinner, but Gil was pleased to find there were enough supplies to make a quick soup for Oz.

He pulled a bowl from the cupboard, biting his lip. He would have to wake Oz soon if he were to make something like soup, otherwise his master would have to suffer through a cold meal.

He was just beginning to cut the vegetables when the kitchen door swung open. A young man stepped into the room, long brown hair tied back into a loose ponytail. Gil blinked. It was Joseph, one of the house servants.

"I-I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Gil offered the man a nervous smile. Most of the other servants had never exactly _liked_ Gilbert, but Joseph at least had always been warm and welcoming.

"What are you doing?" Joseph leaned against the counter beside him.

"That experience at Pandora really seemed to take a lot out of Oz, so I wanted to make him something warm and healthy to eat…" Gil glanced away, his cheeks coloring.

"Do you actually care about that chain? Genuinely?"

"O-Of course I do!"

" _Why?"_ A hand grabbed his shoulder, forcing him to turn and pushing him back against the counter. Joseph loomed over him, eyes blazing.

Gil stared up at him in surprise. "I-I...What?"

"You're betraying the Vessalius family! How can you even _look_ at that monster without thinking about what it did to poor Mistress Ada's mother?"

Gil grit his teeth, a low growl building in his throat at the harsh words. "How _dare_ you speak about my Master like that!"

Joseph's hand shot forward, striking Gil's cheek and causing him to stumble from the force of the blow. "Your only loyalty should be to Master Vessalius!"

"Oz didn't kill anyone! Anything he's done was forced upon him, he didn't _mean_ to—"

"Master Vessalius spoke to us personally on the matter." Snapped a voice from behind the brunet. Gil's eyes widened. A small group of servants had gathered around the pair.

"That's right!" came the chorus, "Master Vessalius is good and kind, he would never lie about something like this!"

"Oz is someone very important to me, and I _will not_ allow you to say such things about him!" Gil spat.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than the first fist met his stomach.

* * *

There was something soft brushing his nose.

Gil opened his eyes slowly, a fierce ache beginning to make itself apparent all over his body. He couldn't help the quiet groan that escaped him.

"I'm sorry."

Gil straightened at that, startled to realize that he was, in fact, being carried down the hall on Oz's back. His face had been pressed into fluffy golden hair. "Wh-What're you—"

"You were unconscious." Oz murmured. Gil cursed that he couldn't see Oz's face.

"Wait, it's okay, you don't have to carry me!" He was wise enough not to struggle, for fear of toppling them both over.

"You were unconscious!" cried Oz, and only then did Gil hear the tears in his voice.

"But...I..I'm alright now, I promise." Gil bit his lip at the obvious lie. Oz could feel his pain, there was no way he'd be fooled into thinking Gil could walk on his own.

As he thought, the blond's grip only tightened. "Shut up."

Looking away, Gil asked, "How did you find me?"

"...I took too long," Oz mumbled regretfully. "If I had found you sooner, they wouldn't've been able to do so much damage….but I had to search all over…." He shook his head. Soft strands of hair tickled Gil's face. "I'm sorry."

"It wasn't your fault at all!" Gilbert cried.

Oz stumbled suddenly, nearly falling as Gil's weight shifted. He managed to push himself upright again, but Gil could feel him trembling.

The raven grit his teeth. It wasn't right to make his master carry him like this.

"Oz, put me down,"

Instantly Oz's arms released him, and Gil slid from his shoulders with a startled yelp. Hitting the ground sent a sharp sting along his spine, but he resisted the urge to cry out, for fear it would only increase his master's guilt.

Oz whirled around frantically, eyes watering with mortified tears. "G-Gil! Are you alright?"

Gil laughed shakily, feeling horrible for using the contract to force Oz to listen to him. "I told you, I'm fine."

Oz helped him to his feet, but he refused to meet Gil's eyes.

* * *

Gil sighed, allowing Oz to tuck him into bed and closing his eyes for a moment to block out the pounding in his head. He'd been forced to lean on Oz the rest of the way back to his room, more injuries making themselves known to him as he tried to walk on his own.

Oz leaned over him, his eyes soft for a moment as he brushed some of the hair from Gil's face.

A sudden thought occurred to the raven, something that had been nagging at the back of his mind, but he hadn't found a moment when he truly felt it was right to ask.

"Hey, Oz?"

"Mm?" The blond pulled the covers closer to Gil's chin.

"Did you….really believe I would ever...say such _horrible_ things to you?"

Oz blinked, frowning slightly as he tried to place the context of the question. His eyes widened. "O-Oh."

"Did you?"

Oz sighed, running a hand through his hair, glancing away. "Gil...I…."

"O-Oz…"

Did Oz really still not trust him? Gil swallowed. It hurt.

"You should try to get some sleep. I'll be right here, so don't worry, alright?"

Before Gil could protest, Oz blew out the candles, engulfing the room in darkness.

* * *

When Gil woke, Oz was gone. It was still dark, the faint scent of candle smoke still lingering in the air. He couldn't've been asleep for long.

Somehow, it felt like betrayal.

Scowling, he pushed himself to his feet, cursing the pain that struck his body. Oz would know he was awake.

Gil staggered out into the hall, watching for cracked doors in the hopes that Oz would be nearby. Unfortunately, there was no sign of his master until he reached the gardens.

Oz was there, the moonlight casting an almost angelic glow over his golden hair. Before him, Gil was startled to see Joseph and a few of the other servants who had attacked him.

It looked as though they were only talking. Gil frowned, moving closer in the hope that he might be able to surreptitiously hear. Oz's eyes flickered over to him, and in his apparent distraction, Joseph lunged forward, the silver blade of a sharpened kitchen knife glinting in the half-light.

Gil shot forward in horror, his mouth already open to call out a warning, but Oz sidestepped the attack skillfully.

"What do you think you're doing?" cried Gil, racing to Oz's side and pushing the blond behind him.

"Go back inside," Oz hissed, gripping Gil's wrist earnestly.

Gil swallowed hard. Oz's anger was another facade, put into place to protect Gil from the truth of his master's anxiety.

"Yeah, Gil, go back inside," sneered one of the servants, aiming a forceful punch at Oz's side. To Gil's relief, Oz sidestepped again, but the rest of the group began to advance toward him.

A heavy wave of uselessness crashed down onto Gil. He was already swaying on his feet from the ache in his limbs, if he was hit again, he wasn't sure how long he'd last.

Oz and Joseph seemed to realize this at the exact same time.

Joseph swung a kick at Gil's leg, something he only just managed to jump away from. Oz snarled something unintelligible, struggling to push through the throng.

Joseph laughed breathily, aiming kick after kick, punch after punch, slowly forcing Gil backward, away from Oz. At last, his back was met with the solid wall of the manor.

"Take a look at where your loyalty's gotten you, Gilbert. Take a good, long look, because I promise you it'll be the last thing you ever see!"

The brunet raised the knife above his head, swinging down with a speed and power Gil hadn't known he was capable of.

" _NO!"_

There was a flash of silver, hot blood splattering across Gil's face as Oz's scythe ripped the servant's body in half.

The night was silent but for Oz's ragged panting. His eyes were wide, crimson, nearly _glowing_ in the frail moonlight. Torn bodies were strewn across the path behind him, painting the stones with blood.

Gil's knees buckled, his body convulsing as he retched into the dew-soaked grass.

Oz seemed to snap out of his breathless daze, inhaling sharply, stumbling slightly at the sight of the gore around them. "G-Gil!" He staggered forward.

Gasping, Gil scrambled back, bumping his head against the rough brick wall. "S-Stay….Stay...away…."

Oz paused, his eyes flashing with surprise. "...Gil…?" He reached out a tentative hand toward Gil's shoulder, fingers slick with blood.

Gil smacked his hand away. " _Don't touch me!"_ His breathing was ragged, shallow. "Don't….Don't touch me…"

Oz jerked back sharply, his eyes wide. "Gi—"

" _Don't touch me."_

"I-I—" Oz backed away, his breath quickening in panic. He stared down at his bloodstained hands, eyes filling with desperate tears. "I...N-No….I..." He shook his head, an anguished wail tearing from his throat.

He dug his fingers into his hair, streaking blood through the soft gold. Trembling, Oz spun on his heel, tearing away into the darkness of the garden before Gil had a chance to collect himself.

Gil stared, horrified, into the glazed eyes of the man he had once looked up to, the man who had been kind to him in a time when others were not. Slow tears crawled down his cheeks, mixing with the blood on his face and dripping down onto his quivering hands.

But yet, this man had betrayed the only one who was ever _truly_ there for him.

The night was still.

Gil buried his face in his hands, a wretched sob sliding from his lips, breaking the silence of the night.

What had he done?

 _Oz..._

* * *

Oscar brushed a gentle hand through Gil's hair, giving the shivering boy a soft squeeze. "It's alright, Gil," He murmured, pulling the raven close. "It's alright."

Gilbert shook his head, moaning into his hands. " _It's not!_ It's not alright, Master Oscar! Oz is out there all alone and it's _all my fault!_ How could I….how could I _ever_ have said that to him?"

The sun was high in the sky, but Oz had not returned to the manor. Gil was terrified. What kind of mental state his master could be in after murdering several people, after _Gil_ had said _that…._ Gil shuddered.

 _Murdering…_

He pushed the thought to the back of his mind. Oz had been trying to protect _him._ If Gil had been able to take better care of himself, none of this would've happened. Those servants would still be alive...Nausea rose up in his stomach.

"I'm sure he's fine," said Oscar, though his worry bled into his voice. "He's probably just worried that Zai will have him carted off to Pandora if he returns."

Gil paled. He hadn't thought of that. What if Oz could never come back? Would Oscar be able to protect him?

Oscar stood slowly, his hand lingering to card through Gil's hair. "I'll give it a few more hours, then I'll see if I can find him, alright?"

Gil gave a slight nod, though he had no intention of waiting any longer. He hadn't been able to feel Oz through the link at all since he'd vanished.

He had to make sure Oz was alright.

He had to fix this.

* * *

Gil shivered, pulling his coat tighter around his shoulders, although they'd been blessed with a streak of warmer weather, winter would soon be upon them. He walked quickly through the forest, leaves crunching underfoot. He was certain that this was where Oz had gone.

And, sure enough, he soon found the blond curled up beneath a tree, his face buried in his knees. The blood had been washed from his skin.

"Oz," Gil breathed. A trickle of fear wormed its way into his chest, making his stomach churn. Oz probably didn't want to see him.

Oz didn't look up, didn't acknowledge him, didn't make a sound.

Gil swallowed. "You must be freezing," he murmured, moving to Oz's side and draping his own coat around the chain's shoulders. He could feel him trembling.

"Jack was right."

Gil stiffened. "Oz, no—"

"I-I'm just a _monster…."_

"You were protecting me," said Gil firmly, praying his uncertainty didn't bleed into his voice. Oz didn't seem to notice, still refusing to look up at him. " _They_ attacked _us,_ you were just trying to keep us safe, you didn't mean to lose control like that."

"That wasn't Jack," Oz breathed, raising his head at last. His eyes were bloodshot, his skin deathly white. There were deep circles beneath his eyes. " _I_ killed them."

Gil sank down beside him, wrapping the blond in a tight embrace. "Joseph would've killed me, you saved my life, Oz. Thank you."

And he realized, with a sinking sensation in his gut, that it was true. Oz was in _agony_ over what he'd done, but Gilbert would be dead if he hadn't lashed out in time. It was sickening.

 _This really is all my fault._

"I'm surprised you didn't feel Duldum's energy."

Oz went rigid.

Zwei stepped languidly into the clearing, a slight smirk pulling at her lips. "Oh, B-Rabbit, have you really fallen so far?"

Oz's trembling grew, his eyes widening in horror. "You….were controlling them...they weren't acting off of their own impulses, they were innocent!" His hands flew to his mouth. " _They were innocent…"_

Gil gripped his master's shoulders anxiously. "Oz? What do you mean?"

"She...her chain….it can bind people to her will. She was controlling the servants, forcing them to attack us. _They shouldn't have died…."_ Oz was breathing rapidly. Gil could feel the other's heart racing.

Closing his eyes to swallow down his nausea, Gil managed, "I still would've died. You still saved me, Oz! Don't think it was a waste!"

"Why don't I show you how she works?" Zwei snickered, taking a step toward them. Silvery strings materialized around Oz, binding him like a marionette. He gasped.

Green eyes met gold. "Run—"

Gil barely had time to stand before Oz's chains were speeding toward him. He only just managed to roll out of the way.

"S-Snap out of it Oz!" he gasped, his breath rasping in his lungs, raw from the cold. Another chain snapped at him, piercing the trunk of the tree behind him as he ducked. Gil swallowed. That would've been his head.

Zai Vessalius stepped into the clearing, leaves crackling beneath his pristine shoes. A crimson cloak was draped around his shoulders. His cane gleamed in the afternoon light.

The chains that had risen around Oz fell limp with a clang.

Gil took the opportunity to try and get closer. "You don't have to be afraid, Oz. I promised you that I would accept you no matter what, that there was nothing you could say, nothing you could _do_ that could _ever_ cause me to leave your side! I'll _always_ accept you, Oz! Always! Even if you won't accept yourself!"

 _No matter what happens, I will always be by your side._

Oz's eyes widened. The strings flickered for a moment.

"Enough." Zai's voice was firm. "You've already dragged this out longer than I would've liked. Finish it."

Zwei gave an exaggerated sigh. "Time's up!" She grinned. "Finish him!"

 _No matter how much time may pass,_

A pack of chains appeared around Oz, sharp silver gleaming in the sunlight. Gil lunged toward Oz, dodging chain after chain, ducking and rolling and twisting away from their deadly points.

 _Even if our roles may reverse…_

He realized that Oz must've been resisting Duldum's control, because Oz's accuracy was always spot-on. _There's a chance! I have a chance, if I can just get close enough—_

One of the chains slashed across his collarbone and down along his shoulder, searing pain blossoming everywhere it touched. Gil cried out, stumbling, thrown to the ground from the force of his momentum. Warm blood oozed over his skin, onto the grass.

 _I wish to always be your servant._

Oz gasped, one hand gripping his shoulder tightly. The chain's around him vanished, and Gil was startled to see the strings binding him snap and fall away.

"G-Gil!" Oz's knees buckled. He was breathing hard, his brows knit together in worry.

 _I will never betray you._

"I-It's alright," Gil gasped, struggling to push himself up on one arm. He blinked, his vision blurring for a moment as everything spun. _There's so much blood…_

Oz's gaze flickered to the side, inhaling sharply, eyes widening. He looked back at Gil, his expression pained.

"Gi...Gil….I…"

 _And I will never let anyone hurt you._

Gil could feel it, deep inside his heart, his soul, deep inside his very being. He could _feel_ the decision his master was about to make, Oz's anguish swirling around inside him and tearing away at his heart. "Oz, don't—"

" _I...revoke the contract!"_

The pain was immediate, burning, tearing, _ripping_ through Gil's blood, searing his bones, scorching his heart, his mind, shredding all that was left of him. He couldn't breathe, couldn't _think…._ There was so much _noise…_.Screaming, someone was _screaming—_

His vision blurred into focus as Zai marched past him, feet crunching over the deadfall. He leaned over Oz's prone form, reaching down to lift the boy by his hair. Oz met Gil's gaze, hanging limply from Zai's grasp. He was panting hard, each breath tearing painfully from his chest.

 _Because you are…._

Gil tried to call out, but his throat was raw. All he could manage was a desperate, strangled sound. _Please….No..._

Oz watched him lifelessly, the sorrow in his eyes burning itself into Gil's mind. Gil gripped the grass with trembling fingers, dragging himself forward on his stomach. He had to make it in time, he _had_ to—

 _My Master!_

Purple light flooded the clearing as Zai summoned his chain.

Oz's expression crumpled, slow tears sliding down along his cheeks. Each breath he took rattled through his chest. Gil pulled himself forward, dizzy from blood loss, trembling, barely able to keep his head off the grass.

The ground beneath Oz melted away into light, shadowy chains crawling up from the glow to tangle around him.

" _N-No…."_ Gil managed to rasp, the words tearing painfully from his throat, " _O-Oz—"_

Oz met his gaze, eyes dull with despair and regret.

The chains tightened, jerking Oz down, into the darkness of the Abyss. He _screamed,_ a scream that would never truly leave Gil's mind, one that would never cease to haunt him, echoing through his dreams. A scream of terror.

The light faded from the clearing.

Gil couldn't breathe, tears curling under his chin as the scene played through his mind, over and over, Oz's face, the _fear_ in his eyes—

He couldn't breathe.

 _Oz_ was _gone._

Really gone, truly gone, lost in the all-consuming chaos that was the Abyss. If only Gil had been _faster—_

 _He couldn't breathe._


End file.
